Pillar #6: Mouth and speech
When I was seeking God concerning my vision back in the end of 2019, He presented me with six principles, or Pillars, to hold prominently in my heart as I pursued Him throughout 2020. Each Pillar has been stabilizing to me, and together they have brought greater insight as I’ve navigated the first two months of this new decade.
Pillar #5 concerns mind and thoughts. As Isaiah 26:3 states, “You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.” The more we guard our minds and steady our thoughts with God’s Word, the greater our peace will be.
Pillar #6 is similar in nature, and concerns our mouths and our speech. Your mouth—or as the apostle James says, your tongue—is like a rudder of a ship and can influence the course of your life. And if you’re like me, someone who enjoys talking, you’ve probably found that your unguarded mouth can get you into some fairly uncomfortable—and avoidable
—predicaments.
On the other hand, like Proverbs 21:23 declares, “Whoever guards his mouth and tongue keeps his soul from troubles.”
Much has been taught, mistaught, applied, and misapplied concerning words and speech—i.e., our “confession”—in the last forty or fifty years in the American church. As a result, great schisms have developed between believers, causing mistrust and suspicion, judgment and criticism. It’s not my goal to solve such long-standing divisions; but I do want to bring attention to a precious biblical concept, Pillar #6, which I find is helping to restore my vision.
Pillar #6: Mouth and speech
Men shall speak of the power of
Your awesome acts,
And I will tell of Your greatness.
They shall eagerly utter the
memory of Your abundant goodness
And will shout joyfully of Your righteousness. Psalm 145:6-7
I’ll bet that no one on any part of the “confession” spectrum in the church today could argue with King David about what he wrote concerning the appropriate use of words. In fact, this last Pillar seems to cap off everything God is directing me to focus upon in this new year.
They will speak of the power of Your awesome acts…
I am choosing this year to talk about God’s awesome acts. In prayer, I will remind Him of them. I will also mention them to others. In fact, if I begin to doubt or worry that I won’t make it in any upcoming situation, I’ll rehearse His powerful deeds to myself.
What are His awesome acts? The Bible is loaded with examples; and I know that I have personally experienced some nearly unbelievable, jaw-dropping answers to prayer and deliverances from danger. I wouldn’t be surprised if you have as well. All that King David is saying here is this: Don’t stuff what you know about God in the vault of your soul.
…And I will tell of Your greatness.
Once again, you’re called upon to speak up! Tell God, tell others, and tell yourself about His greatness. What comprises that greatness of God? Truth is, anything you know about His character is part of His greatness. His kindness, His justice, His power, His willingness to listen, His vastness, His creative ability, the fact that He came to earth in the person of Jesus to take on our sin debt and make us His own…all of this and so much more make up the amazing greatness of God. It’s my desire to daily tell someone something concerning His greatness. He deserves it.
They shall eagerly utter the memory of Your abundant goodness…
There’s no shyness or hesitation here. Think about it. How has God shown His goodness to you? You have the right—and indeed, the privilege—to share it. I mean, we see ads daily that eagerly declare the “magnificence” of skin lotions, hemorrhoid creams, breakfast cereals, weight-loss programs, and even ED products! Why should we, then, hem and haw, fighting with our nerves, when we recount something wonderful God has done in our lives?
… And will shout joyfully of Your righteousness.
When your favorite team scores a goal, makes a touchdown, or clears the bases with a grand slam, what do you do? Quietly patty cake with your hands and try to keep it down so you don’t offend someone? I rather doubt it!
By the same token, what do you do when God comes through for you in a big way? He answers a prayer; He heals you of a serious disease; He miraculously rescues you from a deadly accident or a violently crazed individual. As much as I love cheering on my home team for athletic feats and victories, how much more thunderous attention should I pour out upon my God for His righteous deeds on my behalf?
I believe it’s time—wherever you fall as a believer on the “confession” spectrum—to give your mouth to fearlessly speak of the power of His awesome acts, to tell of His greatness, to eagerly utter the memory of His abundant goodness, and to shout joyfully of His righteousness.
The Lord deserves to be honored with our words; the world around us deserves to hear how great He really is.
Lord, keep us mindful of this proper use of our mouths, and forgive those of us who have neglected this vital aspect of knowing You.
Dorothy
© 2020, Dorothy Frick