When To Keep Your Mouth Shut

 

Prov 21:23

23       Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles.

1. In the heat of anger –

Prov 14:17

17       He that is soon angry dealeth foolishly: and a man of wicked devices is hated.

2. When you don’t have all the facts –

Prov 18:13

13       He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him.

3. When you haven’t verified the story –

Deut 17:6

6          At the mouth of two witnesses, or three witnesses, shall he that is worthy of death be put to death; but at the mouth of one witness he shall not be put to death.

4. If your words will offend a weaker brother –

1 Cor 8:11

11       And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died?

5. If your word will be a poor reflection of the Lord on your friends & family.

1 Pet 2:21-23

21       For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:

22       Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:

23       Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:

6. When you are tempted to make light of Holy things.

Eccl 5:2

2          Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few.

7. When you are tempted to joke about sin.

Prov 14:9

9          Fools make a mock at sin: but among the righteous there is favour.

8. If you would be ashamed of your words later.

Prov 8:8

8          All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing froward or perverse in them.

9. If your words would convey a wrong impression.

Prov 17:27

27       He that hath knowledge spareth his words: and a man of understanding is of an excellent spirit.

10. If the issue is none of your business.

Jude 1:9-10

9          Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.

10       But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves.

11. When you are tempted to tell an outright lie.

Prov 6:16-19

16       These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him:

17       A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,

18       An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,

19       A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.

12. If your words will damage someone’s reputation.

Prov 16:27

27       An ungodly man diggeth up evil: and in his lips there is as a burning fire.

13. If your words would destroy a friendship.

Prov 16:28

28       A froward man soweth strife: and a whisperer separateth chief friends.

14. When you are feeling critical.

James 3:8-10

8          But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.

9          Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God.

10       Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.

15. If you can’t speak without YELLING.

Prov 25:28

28       He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.

16. When it is time to Listen.

Prov 10:1

1          The proverbs of Solomon. A wise son maketh a glad father: but a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother.

Isa 49:1-3

1          Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The LORD hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name.

2          And he hath made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand hath he hid me, and made me a polished shaft; in his quiver hath he hid me;

3          And said unto me, Thou art my servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified.

17. If you may have time to eat your words later.

Prov 18:21

21       Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.

18. If you already said it more than one time.

Prov 19:13

13       A foolish son is the calamity of his father: and the contentions of a wife are a continual dropping.

The Illyrian proverb was, `He who hath a smoky house, a dropping roof, and a contentious wife, hath no need to go abroad for war; he has enough of it in his own home’ (Poll Synopsis).

19. When you are tempted to flatter a wicked person.

Prov 24:24

24       He that saith unto the wicked, Thou are righteous; him shall the people curse, nations shall abhor him:

20. When you are supposed to be working instead.

Prov 14:23

23       In all labour there is profit: but the talk of the lips tendeth only to penury.

[In all labour (Hebrew, painful labour) there is profit: but the talk of the lips (tendeth) only to penury.] In all honest labour there is profit, soon or late; but no profit, nay, rather `penury, ‘ results from empty talk. Loud talkers are lazy workers.