Be Still And Know

Proverbs 21.23 NLT 'Watch your tongue and keep your mouth shut, and you will stay out of trouble.' Speaking is such a huge part of our daily lives that we need all the wisdom we can find to guide us. The book of Proverbs comes back to the subject time and again precisely because it is so important. We need to be constantly learning how to use our tongues more effectively, and part of that is to learn when to speak and when to be silent. Benjamin Franklin once wrote, “Remember not only to say the right thing in the right place, but far more difficult still, to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment.” Those are wise words. There are many tempting moments in life when we are lured into sharing some juicy gossip or joining in with damaging criticism and God looks to us to keep our mouths firmly shut. This isn’t remotely easy, but it is all part of learning to live life to the full and deliberately turning our back on those things that will cause damage and hurt. The trouble with speaking is tha