I was in the car line to pick up my son Isaac. There’s always a teacher that stands 6 or 7 cars back to radio ahead who needs to come out. I pull up to pick him up and he still isn’t out there. They start calling his name and finally he comes walking out. He’s just moseying along, and they’re telling him to hurry up because he’s holding up the line. He just shrugs his shoulders and keeps the same pace. He gets in the truck, and I’m laughing. I ask, “What was that about?” He says, “They said I was holding up the line, and in my head I was like, I don’t care. But I kept it in my heart and didn’t say it out loud.”
We could all learn from this and practice it. Although the thought was in his mind, he wasn’t going to say it. Sometimes a thought may hit our mind, but that doesn’t mean that it should exit our mouths. I’ve heard people say too many times that they couldn’t help what they said. You can help what you say, you just have to exercise self control. After all God did give us self control (2 Timothy 1:7 NET).
We should not only have self control, but ask God to set a guard over my mouth, Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips (Psalm 141:3 NIV).
Ephesians 4:29 KJV Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.
Colossians 4:6 WEB Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.