Be Careful What You Say

Does your tongue ever get you in trouble? Do you ever over-share or under-estimate the impact of casual comments? I’m physically unable to put my feet in my mouth, but quite capable of saying something I later regret.

• *The Scriptures urge us to be careful what we say. Solomon wrote, “The tongue has the power of life and death” (Proverbs 18:21, New International Version). James warned, “No human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison” (James 3:8).

The book of Ecclesiastes points out three common errors: unfiltered words, unfulfilled words, and unnecessary words.

Unfiltered words—speaking without thinking first.

“Do not be quick with your mouth,” says Ecclesiastes 5:2. Abraham Lincoln quipped, “Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt.”

“Be quick to listen, slow to speak” (James 1:19) applies not only in our interactions with others, but also in our prayers. Ecclesiastes 5:2 says, “Do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God.”

Even skilled writers need editors who scrutinize their sentences, correct errors, and suggest improvements. Preachers and teachers need help, too. Communicating God’s Word is a sacred responsibility, so we shouldn’t be too proud to ask wise friends for constructive advice. Better yet, we should consider the Holy Spirit our editor, asking the Lord to assist our preparations and guide us when we speak.

Unfulfilled words—promises that aren’t backed up with action.

Unkept promises erode trust. Voters don’t like politicians who talk big but act small. Kids lose respect for parents who are inconsistent and unreliable. At work, undependable people frustrate coworkers by over-promising and under-delivering.

And what about our promises to God? “When you make a vow to God, do not delay to fulfill it. He has no pleasure in fools; fulfill your vow. It is better not to make a vow than to make one and not fulfill it” (Ecclesiastes 5:4-5).

Unnecessary words—saying too much.

Long-winded speeches wear out listeners. “Many words mark the speech of a fool” (v. 3). Do you ever give a Major Prophet-length speech (like Isaiah’s 66 chapters) when a Minor Prophet-length speech (like Obadiah’s one chapter) would be more effective? Don’t give your listeners a full buffet if all they need is an appetizer.

Conciseness is a rare skill, which takes practice. A member of President Woodrow Wilson’s Cabinet once asked him about the time it took to prepare his speeches. He replied, “It depends. If I am to speak 10 minutes, I need a week for preparation; if 15 minutes, three days; if half an hour, two days; if an hour, I am ready now.”

“The more the words, the less the meaning, and how does that profit anyone?” (Ecclesiastes 6:11). This principle applies to our prayers, too. “God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few” (5:2). Short sincere prayers are just as effective as long flowery ones. The hypocrites’ showy prayers didn’t impress Jesus. The model prayer he gave his disciples takes less than a minute to say.

In a world tired of empty arguments and meaningless chatter, well-chosen words are “apples of gold in settings of silver” (Proverbs 25:11).

This is the fourth in a series of articles based on the book of Ecclesiastes. Next week: “A Well-Balanced Life?” (Ecclesiastes 7).

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