PROVERBS 17:27-28: “A truly wise person uses few words; a person with understanding is even-tempered. Even fools are thought wise when they keep silent; with their mouths shut, they seem intelligent.” NLT

OBSERVATION: Has your tongue ever gotten you into trouble? Have you ever said something that you regretted? Have you mastered the art of listening? My answers would be Yes, Yes, and No!

The tongue is a funny thing. It is one of the smallest members of the body, but it can ignite the passions of man. James speaks of the power of the tongue in his epistle.

“And a small rudder makes a huge ship turn wherever the pilot chooses to go, even though the winds are strong. In the same way, the tongue is a small thing that makes grand speeches. But a tiny spark can set a great forest on fire. And among all the parts of the body, the tongue is a flame of fire. It is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself.” (James 3:4-6 NLT)

When I lived in California, I had a sailboat. It was a 26 ft. sailboat that was worthy to sail on the ocean. Even though it was a large boat, it was controlled by a small rudder. The rudder is controlled by a short wooden handle called a tiller. As you sat in the cockpit of the boat, you never moved the tiller very much. Just a slight adjustment would affect the entire direction of the sailboat. So it is with the tongue.

Proverbs tells us why the tongue is so powerful. It is like a tiny spark that can set one’s whole life on fire. It can destroy friendships, shipwreck marriages, and set nations against each other in war!

“Wise words satisfy like a good meal; the right words bring satisfaction. The tongue can bring death or life; those who love to talk will reap the consequences.” (Proverbs 18:20-21)

The tongue can bring death or bring life. As children, we may have sung the little rhyme, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” Yet – WORDS DO HURT! In fact, they can kill. They can kill one’s self-esteem and one’s faith. They can plant seeds of distrust and division, and they can bring out the vilest qualities in our human nature.

So what is the answer? Solomon writes,

“A truly wise person uses few words; a person with understanding is even-tempered. Even fools are thought wise when they keep silent; with their mouths shut, they seem intelligent.” (Proverbs 17:27-28)

In other words,

LISTEN MORE…SPEAK LESS!

Even-tempered people do not have to get in the last word. It is the foolish heart that always has to have something to say. It is the carnal heart that speaks before it listens. A wise person prays, as David prayed,

“Take control of what I say, O Lord, and guard my lips.” (Psalms 141:3)

And as James exhorts, we need to learn how to listen!

“Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires.” (James 1:19-20 NLT)

So, let’s put it all together. It is hard to listen. We always want to say something. Yet, speaking before we listen is what always gets us into trouble. How can we give an answer when we don’t even listen to the question? And, many times those in our lives don’t want an answer at all. They simply want an empathetic heart that will listen to their heart.

“Spouting off before listening to the facts is both shameful and foolish.” (Proverbs 18:13 NLT)

I am tired of saying to myself, “I wish I didn’t say that!”. I want to be wise, prudent, and yield my tongue to the Lord Jesus Christ so that He can steer both my heart and my mouth. Jesus said, “Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” Therefore, when Jesus has control of my tongue, He has control of my heart.

A yielded heart will listen more and speak less!

A yielded heart will offer words of life, only after listening.

A yielded heart will pray as David prayed…

“Keep your servant from deliberate sins! Don’t let them control me. Then I will be free of guilt and innocent of great sin. May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.” (Psalms 19:13-14 NLT)

Heavenly Father, give me a listening heart. Put a guard over my lips and keep me from presumptuous sins. Change my heart as I yield my tongue to You. May the words of my mouth flow from the meditation of a listening heart and be pleasing to You, O Lord my Rock and Redeemer.

In Jesus’ Name!