When Is It Time To Just Shut Your Mouth?

Whenever God repeats something, it's because it's incredibly important. I talk about this with our teenagers all the time - pay attention to everything in God's word, but pay special attention when it gets repetitious. Those are the truths He thinks are vital for us to know for one reason or another.

So when I saw the exact same message repeated in my Proverbs reading, my devotion, my calendar and in a book I was planning to start this week, I let God know that I understand. I got it.

Our God is not subtle. He doesn't hide anything.

Over the weekend I read in all these different places about our words. Not just the words we speak, but the importance of the words we don't speak. We can say all the words we want to, but if we're just talking to hear ourselves talk, there really is no point. If we're not listening to ourselves, nobody else will, either.

A fool uttereth all his mind: but a wise man keepeth it in till afterwards. Proverbs 29:11
Seest thou a man that is hasty in his words? there is more hope of a fool than of him. Proverbs 29:20

Yesterday I started Karen Ehman's book Keep It Shut. She starts the first chapter with two verses: Proverbs 18:21 and James 3:5-6. Look them up. I'll wait.

I know, right? Just when we think we know everything there is to know about a topic, the Lord brings back verses we thought we knew and places them in new context. These two verses were that realization for me.

Normally I can't wait to start a book because the joy is in the anticipation of learning something new. Now I can't wait to keep reading because I've already been convicted to the core in the first few pages. Imagine what the rest will hold!

This is the way the entire Bible can be for us every day. My prayer for us this week is that we'll read every passage like we're reading it for the first time. Let's dig in to Scripture. Let's read the background and the context, not just the words on the page. Let's learn what God wants us to do and not do, so that everything we say and do today is pleasing and honoring to Him.

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