“Whoever guards his mouth and tongue keeps his soul from troubles” ~ Proverbs 21:23

First things first, it is important to understand what it means to tame your tongue. It essentially means being mindful of what you say, the information you share, how you communicate certain things, and even the people you choose to share information with.

It also involves the manner in which we communicate with others—our tone, volume, and choice of words. Taming the tongue requires discipline and discernment to know when to speak and when to remain silent.

As today’s scripture reminds us, “Whoever guards his mouth preserves his life; he who opens wide his lips comes to ruin” (Proverbs 13:3). No wonder the psalmist cried out in Psalm 141:3, “Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips.”

The psalmist must have deeply understood how important it is to guard our lips.
Often, we speak without realizing how much harm we are causing—hurting others and even bringing trouble upon ourselves. This is why we need the Lord’s help to tame our tongues, especially because of how powerful and sensitive this part of us is.

The truth is, taming your tongue isn’t something you can accomplish by your own strength or capacity. It takes the Holy Spirit to guide and teach us, to prompt us when to speak and when to stay silent.

This requires a certain level of dependency on the Holy Spirit, but no matter what it takes, we must tame our tongues at all costs!

To tame the tongue is to act with wisdom and self-control, fully aware that our words have lasting impacts—both spiritually and physically. It reflects maturity and a heart transformed by God.

Prayer: lord, teach me to tame my tongue. Heighten my discernment and level of discipline.