Watch out! Your mouth can get you into trouble!

The Bible has plenty to say about fools. Part of the meaning of the name fool is: a person lacking in judgment or prudence, one lacking in common powers of understanding, to experiment, especially thoughtlessly or ignorantly. One very important area that we must take very seriously has to do with the things we say and promise. For whatever reason, many take what they say very lightly. They don’t realize that the power of life and death are in the tongue. They hurl words out of their mouths with utter ignorance, and later on they’ll say they didn’t mean it,  or they were only playing, or even that they were upset. God takes your words seriously. King Solomon counseled us that we must not be rash with our words. (Ecclesiastes 5) We need to carefully think about the things we will say before we utter them. He declares that a fool is known by his/her speech. Wow. He also let us know that God has no pleasure in fools and foolish behavior. This next thought really moved me. Solomon also said that our mouths can cause us to sin, and destroy the works of our hands. In the midst of a nation and society that is “playing the fool” because of all of the rants, rash speech and hateful rhetoric, don’t play into that. Be the one that places a guard on their mouth, and only speaks from a place of wisdom and Godly fear. Be the example so that others may learn and turn away from their foolishness!

Ecclesiastes 5:2-6 “Do not be rash with your mouth, And let not your heart utter anything hastily before God. For God is in heaven, and you on earth;
Therefore let your words be few. For a dream comes through much activity, and a fool’s voice is known by his many words. When you make a vow to God, do not delay to pay it; For He has no pleasure in fools. Pay what you have vowed.  Better not to vow than to vow and not pay. Do not let your mouth cause your flesh to sin, nor say before the messenger of God that it was an error. Why should God be angry at your excuse and destroy the work of your hands?”