I have a really BIG mouth. I know this because the dentist told me long ago I could keep all of my wisdom teeth – my mouth was big enough to keep em:) Sometimes I have a big mouth in other ways. I don’t think before I say something not very smart. I have done it MANY times. As I get older- I am getting a little better about NOT putting my foot in it. But even now I can get myself in trouble. I have to remind myself to CLAMP IT!
Most of the reality shows now-a-days are centered around someone opening their big mouth when they should just clamp it shut. I know the producers thrive on this stuff, that’s the fodder that makes their shows interesting for us. Storage Wars is one of my favorites right now. Everyone shows up at abandoned storage units and they auction off the unit- but the catch is no one knows exactly what is inside when they buy it. A couple of the main characters are always making snide remarks about the others that are bidding. Darrell and Jarrod are the ones who do most of the trash talking, but my favorite guy is Barry who is funny and just kind of lets it all roll of his back.
Sports stars have a hard time with clamping it. Just recently in the news Ozzie Guillen, the manager of the Miami Marlins got into some BIG trouble, and rightfully so. Cuban Americans in Miami were outraged when he made some comments about admiring, even “loving” Fidel Castro. If it wasn’t so tragic it would be funny. He is a coach in MIAMI fer cryin! Ozzie! Can I just say to you: WHAT IN THE CAT HAIR were you thinking? Apparently that was the problem, he was NOT thinking. I guess he wasn’t around in the 60’s and 70’s when people were fleeing Cuba because of the multiple human rights abuses happening there at the hands of Castro. Ut Ohhhhhhh- Ozzie- even though you may have been a little mis-interpreted in the translation, it may have been better to CLAMP IT! Especially when speaking to the media, especially when speaking about politics. Stick to baseball- really. You get in enough trouble talking about that. In his defense, Ozzie did give a heartfelt apology. Read about that here:
Scripture has A LOT to say about the damage we can do with our tongue. In the book of James especially. James 3:6 says this:
“The tongue is also a fire: a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.”
These are pretty strong words, and all of us need to heed them. Did you know your mouth is "set on fire by hell" ??? Think about that, just for a minute.
Just thinking of my mouth being "set on fire by hell" helps me to keep it shut better!
Here are some lessons I am learning about clamping it shut:)
1.If you don’t know the subject matter well enough, don’t comment on it at all. Hopefully Ozzie learned this lesson earlier this week, and we all learned from his mistake. Many times famous people give opinions about stuff they don’t have a clue about- don’t be an Ozzie!
2. It is NEVER a good idea to tell people off. I know it works on TV, but it doesn’t in real life. I had a friend when I was a 20 something who would start most of her sentences with “I just told them” …… really? Do you have any friends left to tell? CLAMP IT!
3.If you feel like you have to say something to someone about their behavior, do it in humility and carefully. Confrontation is hard business and most of us fail at it. Yes, sometimes confrontation is needed, but BE CAREFUL with it.
I have lived most of my life with a BIG MOUTH that many times needs to be CLAMPED SHUT. Sometimes I wonder how many times my God will have to forgive me for my mistakes. It makes me have a hot flash just thinking of HOW MANY.
James:3:9-10 With the tongue we praise our Lord our father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing…”
I pray that MY mouth swallows the “cursing” and lets the praise flow:) How about you?
Great post! I think it was Mark Twain who said, "Only speak if what you have to say is more beautiful than the silence." That is really hard for me. I always have an opinion. It's so much better just to listen sometimes.
ReplyDeleteYep, another good one, Denise! I remember getting into all kinds of hot water once upon a time in a "young married" Bible study -- a study you might remember? I was advocating for women pastors,and women in leadership in the church. Didn't go over too well at the time... I remember I got all defensive and said WAY more than I had meant to say. Unfortunately, 30 years later I still struggle with communicating effectively -- not defensively. As Anna said, sometimes it's better to just listen. I love Mark Twain's quote above! Eph. 4:29 is a good reminder, "Let there be no more foul language, but good words instead -- words suitable for the occasion, which God can use to help other people..."
DeleteGreat quote by mark twain anna! and Nancy I remember those times- they were stellar- were they not? It was great for me because I got one of my best friends in the world out of that time--you:)
ReplyDeleteWords can never be taken back... you can try to make them right with apologies and sweet ones, but you can NEVER remove the wounds that they cause. Words are potent little spores that seep into the lungs of others, and have the potential to slowly but surely suffocate the person. That is why words are to be carefully thought out, especially when they are not praise. Great post as always!
ReplyDelete-Ky
www.thebirdssay.blogspot.com
And so, I come from a loooooong line of big mouths, proud ones. I am still learning to clamp it. I am grateful for the Lord, who gives me grace when I don't clamp it and for friends like you, Anna and Nancy who help me clamp it. Great post!
ReplyDelete- Big Mouth Patterson