Watch Your Mouth - Martin Wiles

Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them. Ephesians 4:29 NLT

A mouth can reveal a lot about a person.

Four years have passed since my youngest brother and his family have come home for a visit. Not that they live that far away. Just a matter of family issues. But this year, they decided to make a visit after Christmas. We spent the afternoon talking and reminiscing and then visited a restaurant downtown for a meal together. It was wonderful having all the siblings, cousins, nieces, and nephews together again.

Following our meal, we returned to our house to play a game called “Watch Your Mouth.” Participants pair up in teams, don a mouthpiece—which forms their mouths into ridiculous shapes, draw a card, try to read what’s on the card, and then have their partner attempt to interpret what they’ve said—which usually only sounds vaguely similar.

Why the game is named what it is, I’m not sure. Watching your teammate’s mouth doesn’t help at all. Perhaps it’s because the mouthpiece could cause the person to pronounce a word that sounds like a word they wouldn’t ordinarily use.

Whether or not my parents ever used the command, “Watch Your Mouth,” or not, I can’t remember, but I still got the message. Theirs was the same as Paul’s to the early church. Saying words I shouldn’t in their presence would get me a stint of restriction.

Foul and abusive language can fall into several categories and include cursing, off-color jokes, crude language, sexual innuendos, acronyms, or other questionable words. Using such language makes me no different from those who don’t claim to follow Christ. Talking as unbelievers do keeps my light for Christ from shining. Jesus hung around those whom He knew needed to follow Him, but He didn’t adopt their ungodly mannerisms in an attempt to win them over.

The world is filled with enough discouraging news without me filling it even more with language that tears down instead of elevates. My speech should be filled with good and helpful words that encourage and builds others up.

The tongue can be an unruly piece of meat, rolling out words that are better left unsaid, but with God’s help I can control what emits from it. What comes out reveals to others my character and whether or not I’m a person of integrity.

What portrait of you is your tongue painting for others?

Tweetable: What portrait of yourself is your tongue painting?

Prayer: Father, may the words of our mouths and the meditations of our hearts be pleasing in Your sight.

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A Mouth Full - Martin Wiles

Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it with good things. Psalm 81:10 NLT

When I heard the chirping, I knew their mouths were full.

After settling into my new position as pastor of a small rural church, I placed a few things on the front porch of the office building. Among them a bird house. Within a few days, a mother bluebird began building her nest. I looked from my office window as she carefully selected materials and brought them to the house. When she started entering the house, I knew she had laid her eggs.

Two weeks later, I knew the eggs had hatched. I heard small intermittent chirps. As they days passed, the chirps grew louder as the baby birds aged. I’d peek out of my window and see little mouths extended from the small hole as mom and dad bluebird hung on the outside of the birdhouse stuffing food between those eager beaks. When they had filled the mouths, they’d fly off again to retrieve more food. It seemed the little birds just couldn’t get enough. 

Deliverance from Egyptian slavery was a landmark point in Israel’s history that God didn’t want His people to forget. After reminding the psalmist of this rescuing, God told him to open his mouth, and He would fill it with good things. 

There have been countless times when I’ve missed good things from God because I didn’t open my mouth. 

Somewhat like not getting things I could have had from God because I didn’t ask. When Jesus knocks, I have to open, if I want I have to ask, and if I desire good things, I have to open my mouth. 

God is filled with love and mercy. He has wonderful plans for His children. He desires to give us more than we have, but there are conditions. Opening our mouths is one. 

As the baby birds eagerly received their parents’ food, I must receive what God offers. 

He offers instruction and encouragement from His Word. I’ll never go hungry—or wrong--when I receive it. He offers daily guidance from His Spirit. I’ll never make a wrong turn when I take it. He gives abundant opportunities. I’ll never regret taking them. All I have to do is open my mouth.

Open your mouth, and let God fill it with good things.

Prayer: Father, we yield our heart to You and ask You to fill our lives with the good things You have in store for us. 

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