Verbal Diarrhea!

Sunday’s Monday

I recently heard a speaker at a Leadership Conference use a quote his father repeated to him often growing up, “never miss a good opportunity to keep your mouth closed” which might have stemmed from a line in the book, A Day No Pigs Would Die by Robert Newton Peck, Never miss a chance to keep your mouth shut. This statement immediately hit a nerve for me as I have spent a lot of my life trying to prove that I am worthy to have a place on this planet and I did it by telling people what I know. That is until some 30 years ago when my pastor told me that talking is far less valuable than listening. Ergo I sought to understand his meaning and found that wisdom finds it very hard to enter a mind which is constantly spouting knowledge. I soon realized that my talking wasn’t appealing to those I need to be with and immediately ask God to help me correct the situation. God then showed me that this condition had been with me for a long time and was growing worse with each passing day. I vividly remember growing up my mom would tell people that I could talk the ears off of a Billy goat and I thought that was a good thing, “until I found it wasn’t.” A couple of my friends would jokingly say I had diarrhea of the mouth or maybe I miss took it to be jokingly. This brings me to my point, listening comes hard for me because in my mind I’m a fixer and feel a need to be an active part of every communication to fix any situation. I became aware of a lot of different situations along with many subjects as well, I learned how to adlib extensively on things I knew nothing about. I actually got pretty good at shoveling pretenses of wisdom to which those with true intelligence would view it as spreading manure on people who knew no better. But I wasn’t doing it to be evil I was merely using verbal diarrhea to fill a legitimate need to fit in using the illegitimate method of deception. Proverbs 10:19 (NLT), 19 Too much talk leads to sin. Be sensible and keep your mouth shut. “Nothing is more like a wise man than a fool who holds his tongue.” Francis de Sales

Some 25 years ago I stopped learning to be smart and started learning to improve my life! I found that knowledge is useless without wisdom and wise people don’t usually have verbal diarrhea. When they speak, they have something of value to contribute, otherwise, you’ll find them listening intently to what others have to say. A few mentors gave me an accelerator toward learning the ways of God. They shared with me that wisdom can be more easily obtained through hanging with those who are wise, listening to what they have to say, and putting what you hear into action. This is one of the reasons I thrive on attending meetings and conferences both spiritual and secular. I have developed a ravenous appetite for God’s grace and an abundant appreciation for His favor leading me to understand His wisdom. I truly believe this is why I’ve been called to write Sunday’s Monday as it requires a lot of research which allows a good opportunity to obtain wisdom. If I may offer a simple country boy's answer for those who may be confused in their understanding of smart and wise. “A smart person walks around knowing the principle of how a bicycle works, whereas a wise person continues to learn until they are getting around by riding it.” Knowledge without purpose will soon forgo all validity as it falls into the category of “use it or lose it”. I like this truth in Matthew 7:26 (NLT), But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. The knowledge was there but we find not using it led to Matthew 7:27 (NLT), When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash. How much of what you think you know; do you actually believe you know?

There is only one true way to control and cure Verbal Diarrhea and that is through a vibrant, active, deeply personal faith in Jesus. Our daily one-on-one time aligns us to communicate with Him throughout the day on the issues of our hearts. As this happens many will notice their words will take on a new aura to which people will respond well. We now speak with the authority of Jesus and our words carry a lasting value to the hearers. No more running off with the mouth using those discounted high-dollar words for show. This new transformational relationship with Jesus has been around for thousands of years giving life to words and fueling passion while starting fires for God. Proverbs 16:24 (NLT), Kind words are like honey - sweet to the soul and healthy for the body.

Father God: I ask that we receive your wisdom within Proverbs 18:20-21 (NLT), 20 Wise words satisfy like a good meal; the right words bring satisfaction. 21 The tongue can bring death or life; those who love to talk will reap the consequences. May we each learn to examine the value of our words before we waste them! I pray we speak only the words you give us to satisfy and quicken those who hunger for you. May we all embrace the vision of gathering around God’s lavished table in awe of the wise that were chosen to serve God. Help us choose life and not death in my words! Amen

HAVE A BLESSED WEEK BY BEING A BLESSING TO OTHERS!

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