Today we read from the One Year Bible in these verses:
1 Samuel 14:1-52
John 7:31-53
Psalm 109:1-31
Proverbs 15:5-7
Let's look at the Proverb. The last one for today says, "The lips of the wise spread knowledge." And that's more or less obvious, right? But it reminds me of something that God showed me this week that I've been waiting to tell you. Now is a good time.
See, I drive Uber at night. And I meet alot of interesting people and learn alot of fascinating things. But the other night I had a passenger who talked from the moment they got in the car until they got out, and never said a single thing worth listening to. Every sentence had at least five curse words in it. Now, letting a strong word fly from time to time is understandable. But if you can't complete a sentence without dropping an F bomb or grossing out the listener, you might rethink your language.
And that's EXACTLY what that passenger made me do. About myself! I realized I've been saying way too much negativity lately. So I decided to change how I speak. I decided that going forward, I would either say something positive or I would be silent. This is similar to the old adage "if you can't say something nice, don't say anything." But it combines that idea with the idea of SILENCE, which the monks in the Catholic church practice to great advantage.
I did it all this week, and I found myself not only SPEAKING more positively, but THINKING more positively. It isn't EASY by any means. I find myself yelling at other drivers sometimes. Then I catch myself, and say "That wasn't nice. I should just be silent." And then I am, and it's much more peaceful.
Try it!
God, thanks for teaching us that wise lips spread knowledge - and that angry ones should stay quiet.
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