Daily Devotional for Wednesday, July 10

David’s Pledge

“I said, I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue: I will keep my mouth with a bridle, while the wicked is before me. I was dumb with silence, I held my peace, even from good; and my sorrow was stirred,” Psalm 39:1, 2.

Have you ever heard the saying, “It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt” (Mark Twain)? David must have realized that he was sinning at times while talking to others. To hold his tongue must have been hard for him since he was the king and the ultimate authority in his country. Sometimes even a king needs to stop talking and listen to others, even if it made him angry, but David pledged to do this.

Many times, when someone is arguing with someone, he is so bent on getting his point across that he cannot hear what the other person is saying even if he is wrong. Learning to listen and bridling our tongues can be valuable tools in our lives. Sometimes, it is good not to share what we are thinking. “But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man” (Matthew 15:18). Our tongues can get us into a lot of trouble as this small part of the body can be used to lie, hurt people, curse others, and then in the next breath it can be used to bless God (James 3:1-12). “Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be” (James 3:10). Instead, we should pledge to always use our words to make a situation better. “A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger” (Proverbs 15:1). How are you using your words or holding back your words?

JUST A THOUGHT
Maybe we could pledge to bite our tongues and hold back our thoughts like David did, even if it hurts.

Tim Chambers