Loose Lips Sink Souls

(Proverbs 10:19 KJV)  In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise.

We have seen this with politicians.  Some are famous for putting their foot in their mouth and making statements that are just plain stupid.  We have seen this in ourselves.  I guess I should speak for myself.  I am a teacher.  Part of my job is talking.  I enjoy the give and take of a lively discussion, even with seventh graders.  In the course of such quick back and forth it is inevitable that something will be said without thinking.  It happens.

Politicians deal with this by only speaking from prepared scripts.  Some of us don’t have that option so we need to practice restraint.  This principle is expressed many different ways throughout Proverbs.  A short summary is “keep your mouth shut.”  Idle chatter and excessive talk are dangerous.  Here it says that we will sin if we talk too much.  Busy mouths make “sin” (transgression NASB) (6588) “unavoidable NASB” (wanteth not KJV) (2308/3808).

This will be harder for some than others but all of us need to beware.  There was a war time poster that said, “Loose lips sink ships.”  We might say the same thing for souls.

So?  Retrain your tongue.  Look back at yesterday.  Focus on the things you said.  How much was unnecessary?  See if you can tone it down some today.