The Best: Part 2Sample

Prayer: Lord God, teach me from your Word today. Help me to be wise with my words, that I may help others feel loved and encouraged. Help me to feel the presence of your Spirit and connect with you in this time, that I may experience change and become more like Jesus.

Quality Over Quantity 

Although you won’t find it word-for-word in Scripture, the saying, “You have two ears and one mouth so that you can listen twice as much as you talk” contains important wisdom. The book of Proverbs uses many of its words to instruct us how to use our words. Yesterday, we looked at how our words can cut or heal. If we want to do less cutting and more healing, the answer to how we go about it might surprise you: talk less. 

Proverbs 10:19 says, “When words abound, transgression is inevitable, but the one who restrains his words is wise.” 

Basically, if you say everything that comes to your mind—or even just talk more than you listen—you will sin. You will say things you don’t really mean and leave cuts behind that you didn’t intend. Using your words wisely looks like asking questions instead of making assumptions. It looks like carefully reading situations and conversations before delivering your verdicts. It looks like remaining calm when something makes you angry, taking a breath, and praying before giving a response.  

The Bible isn’t suggesting that we avoid conversations. Instead, we are to approach our interactions with restraint, compassion, and humility, asking the Lord to give us the discernment we are lacking in order to love others through listening as much as—or even more than—through our words.

Questions to Ask Yourself:

1. Do I speak more than I listen?
2. Do I remain calm when someone frustrates me, or do I respond in anger?

What’s Next? 

1. Ask the Lord to give you discernment, compassion, restraint, and humility in each of the conversations you enter into today.
2. Reflect on each conversation you have today and think about how you can become better at listening and asking questions.