Watch Your Mouth Pt. 2

Rise Holy
6 min readJan 20, 2025

Proverbs 15:23 says this, “A man hath joy by the answer of his mouth: and a word spoken in due season, how good is it! (emphasis mine).”

So right off the bat we know that our words have a due season. Like Ecclesiastes tells us, there is a time for everything under the sun. That means there is a time to be quiet and a time to speak. And hopefully, you’ve developed discernment to know the difference. If not, there’s no condemnation in Christ Jesus! Just ask that the Father give you the discernment to know when to speak and when to hold your peace. I want to talk to you readers today because God has really been pressing this idea in my heart and who knows, it may become my next book! But our words are so powerful and our words can kill. (I mentioned that a bit in the last post in this series.)

I believe that as Christians we can agree that the Lord wants all His children to be wise. I mean, He gave us Proverbs and the books of the prophets to help us know how we should live and what not to do, right? There are so many scriptures that compare a foolish person with a wise person, and their speech is just one of the ways. So I want to take us to some scripture and hopefully you’ll follow along with me.

“Filtered” Speech

Recently, when I was trying to tell someone that there are things you shouldn’t say in front of other people, the person told me they don’t like “filtered speech,” if they can’t say whatever they want to say then they’re not being themselves. And while I can see where they’re coming from, there are a multitude of problems with this idea. Firstly, it directly contradicts what the Bible says! I’ve heard variations of this idea since I was a child, people always feel like they should “tell it like it is” but what they’re actually doing is feeding their own flesh with no regard how it may harm the other person. And harm it does. Trust.

James 1:19 tells us to be slow to speak and quick to hear. But if you’re saying everything that comes to mind, are you actually doing that? Proverbs 21:23 lets us know that when you know how to keep your tongue (watch your mouth) you’re saving yourself from trouble. I mentioned this in the last post, but it needs saying again. King David had to ask the Lord to set a guard over his mouth, he knew that he had trouble with the words he released into the atmosphere, and we should do the same if we’re having the same issue (Psalm 141:3). Ask God to help you until you’re spiritually mature enough in that area to do it yourself.

He that keepeth his mouth keepeth his life: but he that openeth wide his lips shall have destruction.

~Proverbs 13:3 (KJV)

Us being able to know when to be quiet, or shut up, benefits us!

People think that it is okay to just say whatever because maybe that is how they were raised or they feel that they are “just being honest,” but we are called to speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15). Are we really doing that if we just say whatever in front of whoever? We may talk about something personal in front of someone who has no business knowing that information. We may share a deep spiritual point with someone who is new in their faith and now they feel condemned and less than due to what you said. We have to season our speech with salt, but even in the natural you don’t just keep pouring on salt in the dish you’re making, do you? No, more often than not, you sprinkle it on.

Likewise, bitter and sweet can’t come out of the same fountain, we shouldn’t bless and curse with the same tongue (James 3:11–18). And just because you aren’t using curse words doesn’t mean you aren’t cursing someone and damaging their spirit.

Let me know if I’m making sense, guys.

Being Aware of Your Audience

This goes hand-in-hand with filtering your speech. You need to have the discernment of Holy Spirit, and a healthy dose of common sense, to be able to know who you’re speaking to and around. Why do I say that? Because unless your in close quarters and have no one around, there may be someone listening into your conversation that is impacted by the words you speak as well. Let me give you an example. Have you ever been around adults who were yelling or using profanity in the presence of a child? They weren’t talking to that toddler but that toddler begins picking up those words.

Sometimes, we say things with no regard to the other person or persons we are speaking to or who else is present. I won’t claim to know you, but I am quite sure you wouldn’t want your best friend airing your dirty laundry in a crowd of strangers or at a business get together for the holidays. Well, you should do the same. We should be mindful of who is around us, even when everyone is (or claims to be) Christian. This is because we are all in different parts of our faith journey. Some things can become weights and some can become sins (Romans 4:13–15). (I know I am throwing a lot of scripture at you guys, please bear with me!)

I’ll give another example. You feel that Christians can watch any program on the tv, including horror. Another person disagrees. Instead of letting it end there, you decide to “enlighten” them about spiritual maturity or how you’re strong enough to handle those things and that they should really work harder to be more like Christ, because if they were, they’d see things your way. You may not say that last bit, but in your heart, you’re thinking it. And now that brother or sister in Christ is offended. And church hurt has lead millions away from the one true God.

Here’s another example, you and a friend have a standing inside joke. However, you mention this joke, lightheartedly and with no ill-intent, in front of others who have no idea what the backstory is or that it’s in jest. And now they’re questioning the character of that person and sharing it with their friends and bringing others into a conversation they weren’t intended to be a part of. All of the nonsense and confusion could have been ameliorated if you would have shared that comment in a private moment or even in a personal text chat while you were in the larger group.

And yes, in Christ we have liberty but we should not use that liberty as an occasion to the flesh (Galatians 5:13). Isn’t that exactly what we do by “telling it like it is?” We feel like we must say what is on our minds at that exact moment. Personally, I believe that is proof we need to seek more wisdom. What do you think?

Proverbs 29:11 reminds us that only fools feel the need to vent all that is on their minds, but even a fool who can hold their peace is considered wise (Proverbs 17:28). I’ve had a lot to say and don’t you worry, I’ll be wrapping it up soon. For those out there reading this who may not be able to hold their tongue, have you considered asking God to help you to do so? Have you ever thought about why you need to get everything off your chest or say what’s on your mind even when you know it can lead to a bigger argument? While the Bible says to live peaceably with all men (as much as we can), have you been coming at others with “correction” in order to argue instead of win souls and provide knowledge?

If any of that sounds like you, we serve a God who is faithful and just to forgive. All we have to do is take it to Him and be real about our shortcomings. Tell Him the areas you need help and ask Holy Spirit to give you the gift of knowing when to be silent and when to speak.

At the end of the day, our words can heal or they can kill. And what we find to be most common in the world today is the latter, even among the saints. But that is why we go to church and read the scriptures, so we can become more mature in the faith and in our walk, so we can become more like Christ.

Remember, we can be holy through the power of the Holy Ghost.

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Rise Holy
Rise Holy

Written by Rise Holy

Helping you follow Christ in a dark world. Helping you keep your head up when things seem bleak. A Christian living blog for today.

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