Guarding our lips

 We all have complete control over what we say with our lips. We have the power to not say anything at all. We also have the power to form each word and say the right things instead of the wrong things. The problem comes when we speak before we think. Our flesh blurts out the wrong thing, or we carefully say something that is not fully true.

Job had dealt with this in his own heart. He had made a firm determination. (Job 27:4) Job declared that his lips would certainly not speak unjustly, nor would his tongue mutter deceit. We all need to make this firm decision with Job, and we need to ask God's Spirit to empower us to keep it.

We speak "unjustly" any time that what we say is not righteous in any way. It is speaking a lie, telling something that is false. Speaking unjustly is when we gossip, and we say things about another person that are not completely true, or they are said to tear them down instead of building them up. That kind of talk is very harmful and wrong.

However, it is just as bad or worse to "mutter deceit." That is when we do not tell the whole truth in an effort to mislead another person for our benefit. We don't lie, but we leave out enough, so we do not get in trouble with them or others. Remember, Jesus is the Truth, and we are to tell the truth, the whole truth. We might get in trouble, but the Lord will help us, instead of punishing us more for being deceitful.

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Tomorrow, I intend to read Job 28-30.