I tend to talk... a lot. Talking is especially fun when someone leaves themselves wide open for a good tease! However, I can forget God will judge even the idle words coming from my mouth, so I really ought to take more care.
4 quick questions to sieve your words through
1. Is it true? Are we certain it is not gossip or hearsay? 2. How will you say it? Will it be fitly spoken? Spoken in love? With acceptable words? 3. Why are you saying this? Was it to administer grace to the hearer? Edify them? What is the purpose/motive of your speech? 4. When are you speaking?
To everything there is a season and a time, which conversely means there is a wrong season and time. Are we jumping in before we hear the whole matter? Are we speaking before the hearer is ready to hear? Are we somewhere public and this should be said in private?
With so much to consider, no wonder we're supposed to be slow to speak!
(taken from: KJV Matthew 12:36, Ecclesiastes 3:1 & 12:10, Proverbs 18:13 & 25:11, Ephesians 4:15 & 29, and James 1:19)
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