Think Before You Speak, or in Some Cases Think and Keep Your Big Mouth Shut!

            "But I tell you that every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it in the day of judgment." Matthew 12:36.

            Once upon a time there was a twenty-something Sunday School teacher. She was considered intelligent, and some said she was very wise for her years. However, she had a big problem. She sometimes did not think before she spoke. She was always saying things and then wishing she had not said them. These were almost always very minor things that did not make much difference, but she still wished she had not spoken without thinking first.

            Then one Sunday, as her Kindergarten Sunday School class played on the playground near the end of class, this teacher's habit of speaking without thinking caused a major problem.

            The children in her class were all wonderful children and the teacher loved all of them. She had been having quite a time that day however with one girl in the class. This little girl was sweet as could be, but she had a tendency to be rather a know-it-all and to sometimes be a little bossy.

            While the class played on the playground equipment a woman stopped by to watch the children and chat with the teacher. The teacher recognized her from around the church but did not know who she was. They were having a pleasant conversation about the nice day, and about the children. When the one little girl was mentioned, the teacher, without stopping to think for even a second, said (in so many words) that she was kind of a know-it-all. As the woman's face began to fall, the teacher, finally thinking a million miles a second (albeit too late) said (all the while maintaining her smile and cheery voice), "She's your daughter, isn't she?!" She went on to say how much she loved the little girl and other things to try to patch up the damage she had undoubtedly caused between her and this rightfully angry mother.

            Because of her hasty words, spoken without thinking, a rift was caused between this teacher and a parent. If the teacher had only thought before speaking, this rift would not have occurred. It took awhile, but the mother did forgive the teacher, and they were able to put the incident behind them.

            I would love to tell you that this Sunday School teacher never made that mistake again, but that would be a lie. She actually made another one just as bad (as a college student this time) not long after that. It took these two major incidents to finally teach her to think before she spoke. It still happens to her now and then, in much smaller ways, but she prays quite often that God will help her to think before speaking, and to sometimes think and not speak at all.

            Psalm 49:3 says, "My mouth will speak wisdom, And the meditation of my heart will be understanding." It is my hope that I will live as this verse says and speak wisdom rather than unthinking folly. And if I ever speak to any of you without thinking first, as I did with that child's mother, please give me a kick in the pants and remind me to think before speaking!