If You Have Nothing To Say...Say It

By Gobel Brockman


When I started this blog, I had planned to make it a weekly devotional. But there have been some Sunday mornings that I have got up and, to be honest, just really haven't had much to say. So I figured since I didn't have anything to say, I'd let it go. Which reminded me of something I once heard a comedian say:

"The problem with some men is they have nothing to say, but keep talking. If you find yourself ranting about the way people are parking on your street, you have nothing to say, stop talking. If you find yourself re-telling a hilarious story you read in Reader's Digest, STOP TALKING. No one is listening to you. Notice the glazed look on the person in front of you? They're quietly making out a grocery list, planning their vacation, or vowing to never get as old and boring as you are."

Ouch. True, but ouch. Simply put, our words get us in a lot of trouble. We say things that we can never take back, and that leave a lasting negative impression. Our words cause pain, depression, anger, and can even end relationships. The Book of Proverbs says that '...a fool is found in a multitude of words.' Jesus made an even more sobering statement in Matthew 12: '...every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgement.' I don't know about you, but that tells me I've already got a lot to account for. When it comes to our speech, let us remember Psalm 19:14: "let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be pleasing to You, O Lord...'

I guess what I'm saying this week is this - watch your mouth. Your words have weight. And you'll answer for them one day. I think I'll stop talking now....