Say, “Ahhh.”

Have you ever noticed that God gave us one mouth and two ears? Do you think there is a reason for that? Maybe God wants us to listen more and to speak less. Just think of how often we jump to conclusions or pass judgment in a situation. The Bible says, “He who answers a matter before he hears it, it is folly and shame to him” (Proverbs 18:13). Nevertheless, we hear something and immediately conclude that a person is as guilty as sin—and there is no explanation. Instead of saying, “Let’s go to that person and find out the facts,” we immediately spread the news as if it were a fact.

In the old days when you would go to a doctor, he would ask you to stick out your tongue. Then the doctor would pull out his depressor and tell you to say, “Ahhh.” Why did doctors do that? Because the tongue can be an indicator of what was going on inside of you. By observing your tongue, a doctor could tell what was wrong with the rest of you. In a sense our tongue or our words are the table of contents to our lives. What we say gives away who or what we really are.

In Psalm 141:3, David is saying, “Lord, set a watch over my mouth. I can’t stop other people from speaking evil about me, but I will not do the same to them. I will not be guilty of it, Lord. But I need your help. I can’t do this in my own strength.” Follow the lead of David. Pray that the Lord will set a guard over your mouth and keep a watch over the door of your lips.