Tossing Words Around Like Footballs by Gloria Toti

Have you ever read the book of Proverbs?
If you have, you probably realized that your toes were going to be doing some toe squats.
That’s what I call pulling our toes back so they don’t get stepped on.
But if you are going to journey through Proverbs, you will be reminded that you are back might have slipped back into your elementary years of learning.  My Bible App has me learning, or shall I say relearning, what I thought I had already mastered.  Isn’t that what a 35+ year old Christian woman is supposed to say…
” I already learned that topic.
Well, the topic is “words”…
as in the things that come from our mouth, or shall I say our heart.  It’s amazing how 26 letters in the alphabet can say so much good or bad.
If a report was given out today, I would be in the C average range and quickly moving toward a C-.
Of course I’m leaning into these truths because they are bringing new life to my weary soul.
The last time I came across these passages I had confidence but this year I was wide-eyed.  The words “babbling fool” has a way of doing that to us.If we didn’t hear words like that, we might be tempted to justify why we are using words like weapons.

I love how the Holy Spirit works in our lives.
He reminds us to stop being blocked learners who evade correction.  It’s so easy to give ourselves a pass.  My challenge to all of us today is this:  Let’s stop talking so we can listen to our own words. 
If we are trying to edge our words into conversations, we are probably not doing a lot of learnin
and we may have forgotten to recognize how our own words will have a measured effect on our emotions and perspectives.
And that kind of speech cycle is sending out an invitation to its party on the daily.  We don’t have to attend the party.What if we measured our words more carefully and didn’t give ourselves a pass?  We would be more peaceful.  

I heard a quote by Eleanor Roosevelt and it was timely:   

“No one can make you feel inferior

without your consent.”

Think about how our words get rough if we feel mispresented.  What would happen if we chose not to jump onboard with that person’s perspective.  We would stop the vicious cycle of lies and the word fights we are participating in would diminish.
And, I might add…we would honor God.
Let’s continue our conversation next week, and for now, let’s ask God to put a watch over our lips.

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