The Tongueنموونە

The Tongue

by

Rocky Fleming

Day One: No regrets

“What made me say that? What was I thinking? Oh, how I regret what I said. If I could only take it back. Who else will hear what I said? Will I ever be forgiven for this? Will I forgive myself? Will I ever recover what I’ve lost? Can God forgive me?” Have you heard yourself ask these questions before? I speak from experience when I say that I have asked these questions, and that is why I can also tell you that it is an agonizing place to be in your thoughts. You don’t want to be there, and it is something you want to avoid. It is something that Jesus wants you to avoid, and since it is our mission to make disciples, it becomes imperative that we address this subject. So, let’s talk about avoiding some regrets that keep you from asking the questions above. Here is rule number one:

“I have said many things that I have regretted. But I have never regretted something that I chose not to say.” Somewhere in my past, I came across this wisdom and it has been my guide for many years now. I wish that I had always listened to it. When I have followed this wisdom, I have discovered that it has kept me from speaking too quickly, too rashly, in a wrong way, and often without needed information. This week I want to take our thoughts to the wise use of words, for words can both curse and bless. It simply depends on how they are used.

The next bit of wisdom I will share is to wait and think before you speak. When a word leaves your mouth, it cannot be retrieved. Therefore, consider your words carefully before they leave your mouth. There will be a better time and there will be a better way to act rather than what a reaction can produce. This is where you choose to avoid some regrets.

As a disciple of Christ, we are stewards of what He has entrusted to us. We have been entrusted with a life that is to honor Him. Therefore, as wise stewards, we are to invest our words wisely. By doing so, we will have a return on this investment for our Master, as these words not only provide the listener with wisdom from above, these words also come back to bless us. Yes, God will forgive us when we have spoken wrong words if we seek His forgiveness. Even so, we will often face the consequences of those wrong words. Therefore, this gives us even more reason to not speak until we are ready.