Restrain

Do you see a man hasty in his words?There is more hope for a fool than for him.

Proverbs 29:20 (NKJV)

The theme in this proverb is wisdom with words. It deals with not just what we say but when we say it. Ladies, we will always be foolish women until we get a grip on this.

Hasty words—let’s look at three principles.

1. When we speak without thinking, we say too much. Proverbs 10:19 warns us, “In the multitude of words sin is not lacking” (NKJV). I once heard someone say, “Small minds talk about people, average minds talk about things, but great minds talk about ideas.” There is way too much small-minded talk, even among Christians. A good rule of thumb is, would you say exactly the same thing about someone behind their back as you would if they were present? If not, don’t say it.
2. Timing. Ecclesiastics 3:7 tells us, “[There is] a time to be silent and a time to speak” (NIV). Bad times to speak are when we’re emotional, when we’re angry, hurt, tired, or frustrated. At such times we are in great danger of causing damage and regretting it later. Orson Card said, “Among my most prized possessions are the words that I have never spoken.”
3. Attitude. David prayed, “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my strength and my Redeemer” (Psalm 19:14, NKJV).

So we’ll close with Proverbs 10:19: “[She] who restrains [her] lips is wise” (NKJV).

Make It Personal . . . Live It Out!

Wisdom restrains. The Hebrew word for restrain is khasak, which means “to keep from, to hold in check.” Whether it’s trying to hold back from eating a second piece of cheesecake or trying to restrain yourself from saying the wrong thing, you know it’s easier said than done. The forces of our human nature seem to have a life of their own. It’s a tug-of-war. Are you feeling weak, defeated? Join the club. Even Paul, the great apostle, cried out, “Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death?” (Romans 7:24). Romans chapter 8 explains the marvelous answer. Only God’s Holy Spirit has the power to “restrain.”

One Year Bible Reading

Amos 1:1–3:15; Revelation 2:1-17; Psalm 129:1-8; Proverbs 29:19-20