Yesterday, I woke up with zero voice. Whispering was hard, and talking was impossible. I’d been sick for a few days and, instead of resting, I filled my day with Zoom calls and conversations. The combination of illness and over-talking completely silenced me.
No one has ever accused me of talking too little, until yesterday. 😊
Because I could barely get words out, I had to think carefully before saying anything. I didn’t want to waste my voice on unnecessary comments and risk losing it completely before the holidays.
With fewer words, I became more thoughtful. I listened better. I noticed more. And with the extra silence, I was actually more effective in how I loved Marilyn and our family. Now, don’t get me wrong—they were a bit irritated that I wasn’t talking much. But the quiet taught me something.
Yesterday, I was truly “slow to speak” simply because I couldn’t speak. And it hit me: my mouth often outruns my brain. A mentor once joked that my natural philosophy is, “Ready, fire, aim.”
Scripture speaks clearly about our words.
Ephesians 4:29 tells us not to say anything unless it builds others up according to their needs. Proverbs says that even a fool seems wise when he is silent, and another Proverb warns that a fool delights in airing his own opinion. The Bible doesn’t encourage us to talk more, it encourages us to talk wisely, and often less.
Of course, some introverts may need to speak up more. I’m just not one of them. So here’s a challenge for the next few weeks: run your words through your mind before they come out of your mouth. Ask yourself, “Is this necessary?” and “Will this build others up?”
James reminds us that the tongue is like a rudder directing an entire ship. Let’s steer our ships with intention, toward blessing, not harm. Remember: “The tongue has the power of life and death.” Our words can guide our relationships toward encouragement or toward damage.
Action Item:
Resolve to think before you speak. Use your words as measured arrows of blessing, aimed at the hearts of the ones you love.
