Inside Out: A 40 Day Journey to Transforming Your HeartSample

Holy-Muzzle

What we say matters. One "no" can break someone's heart. One lie can lose someone's trust. One disrespectful word, and we devalue a person. Words slip out, causing damage to others we can't quickly fix. Sometimes, our mouths just need a serious spanking! Unfortunately, all that would do is give us a fat lip.

For us to get our mouths to stop gossiping, slandering, lying, and cursing, we need to know the source. Our words come from the health of our hearts. Luke 6:45 says, "The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks." Our hearts are either full of goodness, which overflows with words of kindness, grace, love, and encouragement, or our hearts are full of evil, which overflows with words leading to conflict, hurt, and condemnation.

The saying, "Think before you speak," seems like good advice, but it's faulty. Sometimes we do think before we speak and still say ungodly things. Are we building others up by noticing what they are doing right? Or do we tear them down with criticism assuming that will convict them to change? Are we building bridges to the gospel by not taking a personal offense with someone who believes differently than us? Or are we hypocrites to the outside world who sees we aren't able to give others grace and love? James 1:26 says, "If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person's religion is worthless." We have no influence or witness to the non-believing world if we don't learn how to bridle our tongue.

The word, bridle, means to restrain or control. We bridle horses so that they obey and go in the proper direction. When we bridle our tongues, our life and relationships will go in a better direction. So, how do we do that? We pause our words, thoughts, and emotions to put on, what I like to call, a holy muzzle. Our mouths should not speak until God's holiness covers them. When we are sure that what we are about to say will glorify God and help others, we can talk. Colossians 4:6 commands, "Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person." It continues in Colossians 8:8, "But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth." And Ephesians 4:29 says, "Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear." When we pause to put on our holy muzzle, we take a moment to ask God to give us love and self-control in our response. We ask for His wisdom on what to say, when to say it, and how. We ask for our mouths to bring healing and not further hurt. Proverbs 12:18 says, "There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings healing." We want to put away our fighting words and put on words of reconciliation and restoration.

What we say matters. Our words bring life or death to the relationships around us. Let us be those who wear a holy muzzle, pausing to pray for God's words and wisdom. This is how we transform our hearts from the inside out and bring healing and hope to those around us.

Take a Moment:

• What do you need to change in how you speak to others?

• How can you remind yourself to put on your holy muzzle to make sure you are speaking words that bring healing?

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer (Psalm 19:14). Please help me to pause before I speak. Give me Your words and wisdom to bring healing and hope to those around me. Show me that there is a blessing in it for me and others when I restrain my tongue. Transform my heart by changing what I say and how I say it. I allow You to bridle my tongue so that I can speak only as You want me to speak. Amen.