When words are
many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise. – Proverbs 10:19
This
passage begins and ends with our mouths.
With our mouths we can make life good of render it nearly
intolerable. And this particular proverb
urges us to hold our tongues.
It’s
not so much that silence is such a blessing but that speaking is often such a
curse. A careless word, a thoughtless
comment, an angry retort, a jealous jab – all come from the mouth.
Don’t
we often just say what we think? Don’t
we often simply allow our emotions and passions to control our tongues and
inflict injury with our words?
To
avoid causing so much injury, we basically need to hold our tongues. But does it do any good to try to manage our
tongues by ourselves?
The
best way to hold our tongues is to admit we cannot do it ourselves, and to
surrender to the One who can. Tongues
that are on hold, in the grip not of our determination but of divine love, are helpful,
healing tongues, held by God.
This
must be what James meant when he wrote, “If anyone considers himself religious
and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his
religion is worthless” (James 1:26). The
only way, finally, to hold your tongue successfully is to let God hold it – and
use it.
