Don't Open Your Mouth!

One of our patients brought this into work. He said he spotted it while waiting for a truck to be unloaded where he works. He was, I think, getting impatient and when he saw this he burst out laughing. He just had to have a copy of it.

(I didn't burst out laughing when I read this. Instead, I was quite convicted!)

When to Keep Your Mouth Shut

1. In the heat of anger.

"He that is soon angry dealeth foolishy: and a man of wicked devices is hated." ~Proverbs 14:17~

2. When you don't have all the facts.

"He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him." ~Proverbs 18:13

3. When you haven't verified the story.

"At the mouth of two witmesses, or three witnesses, shall he that is worthy of death be put to death; but at the mouth of one witness he shall not be put to death." ~Deuteronomy 17:6~

4. If your words will offend a weaker brother.

"And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died?" ~1 Corinthians8:11

5. If your words will be a poor reflection of the Lord or your family and friends.

"For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: WHO DID NO SIN, NEITHER WAS GUILE FOUND IN HIS MOUTH: Who, when reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously. ~1 Peter 2:21-23~

6. When you are tempted to make light of holy things.

"Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter anything before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth; therefore let thy words be few." ~Ecclesiastes 5:2~

7. When you are tempted to joke about sin.

"Fools make a mock at sin: but among the righteous there is favour." ~Proverbs 14:9~

8. If you would be ashamed of your words later.

"All the words of my mouth are in righteousness: there is nothing froward or perverse in them." ~Proverbs 8:8~

9. If your words would convey the wrong impression.

"He that hath knowledge spareth his words: and a man of understanding is of an excellent spirit." ~Proverbs 17:27~

10. If the issue is none of your business.

"The heart knoweth his own bitterness: and a stranger doth not intermeddle with his joy." ~Proverbs 14:10~

11. When you are tempted to tell an outright lie.

"Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee." ~Proverbs 4:24~

12. If your words will damage someone's repuation.

"An ungodly man diggeth up evil: and in his lips there is as a burning fire." ~Proverbs 16:27~

13. If your words will damage a friendship.

"A froward man soweth strife: and a whisperer separateth chief friends." ~Proverbs 16:28~

14. When you are feeling critical.

"Therewith bless we God, even the Father, and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God." ~James 3:9~

15. If you can't speak without yelling.

"He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls." ~Proverbs25:28~

16. When it is time to listen.

"A wise man heareth his father's instruction: but a scorner heareth not a rebuke." ~Proverbs 13:1~

17. If you may have to eat your words later.

"Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof." ~Proverbs 18:21~

18. If you have already said more than one time (then it becomes nagging).

"A foolish son is the calamity of his father: and the contentions of a wife are a continual dripping." ~Proverbs 19:13~

19.When you are tempted to flatter a wicked person.

"He that saith unto the wicked, Thou art righteous; him shall the people curse, nations shall abhor him." ~Proverbs 24:24~

20. When you are supposed to be working instead.

"In all labour there is profit: but the talk of the lips tendeth only to penury." ~Proverbs 14:23

"Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from trouble." ~Proverbs 21:23~