Whoever guards his mouth preserves his life; he who opens wide his lips comes to ruin.
Proverbs 13:3
By the mouth of a fool comes a rod for his back, but the lips of the wise will preserve them.
Proverbs 14:3
Recently, I attempted to give some correction to a younger friend of mine. I was overconfident in my bright and shining "rightness" and gave this correction in a way that was not appropriate. I should have waited to have a real one-on-one conversation with him. Instead, I brought up the subject and made my opinion known in front of several other people. My victim was embarrassed, and hurt that I would do something like that. It was careless; I know that now.
As soon as he walked away, I knew I had to apologize to him for the way I confronted him. "Bah!" I thought, "Now I've blown it. I shouldn't have even opened my big mouth." Well, I'd like to say I was wrong, but I wasn't. I apologized and said "I'm sorry for the way I said that to you." He heard, "I'm sorry * * * I said that to you." And the next day he was doing the same thing again. I know that the correction I gave was right, but my timing and attitude were waaay off. So, in my blundering the entire point was lost.
So what is the reason for this post? Good question. It was a good reminder to me that even good words need to be said in the right setting, to the right audience, and with the right attitude - or they will be ineffective.
It's days like that that make me glad that the Holy Spirit translates my prayers for me.
Proverbs 13:3
By the mouth of a fool comes a rod for his back, but the lips of the wise will preserve them.
Proverbs 14:3
Recently, I attempted to give some correction to a younger friend of mine. I was overconfident in my bright and shining "rightness" and gave this correction in a way that was not appropriate. I should have waited to have a real one-on-one conversation with him. Instead, I brought up the subject and made my opinion known in front of several other people. My victim was embarrassed, and hurt that I would do something like that. It was careless; I know that now.
As soon as he walked away, I knew I had to apologize to him for the way I confronted him. "Bah!" I thought, "Now I've blown it. I shouldn't have even opened my big mouth." Well, I'd like to say I was wrong, but I wasn't. I apologized and said "I'm sorry for the way I said that to you." He heard, "I'm sorry * * * I said that to you." And the next day he was doing the same thing again. I know that the correction I gave was right, but my timing and attitude were waaay off. So, in my blundering the entire point was lost.
So what is the reason for this post? Good question. It was a good reminder to me that even good words need to be said in the right setting, to the right audience, and with the right attitude - or they will be ineffective.
It's days like that that make me glad that the Holy Spirit translates my prayers for me.
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