Dirty Mouth?

Reading for Today: Proverb Chapter 4

Gold Nugget
Verse 24: “Put away from you a deceitful mouth, and put perverse lips far from you.”

Commentary

There's a popular commercial that advertises Orbit Gum known as “Dirty Mouth”. They’re kind of funny, but somewhat crude in humor.  Whether it’s a twist on a “potty mouth” or actual dirt in someone’s mouth, one stick of this gum will leave your mouth fresh and clean. Of course that is ridiculous, but the commercial has found an audience. What makes you cringe is seeing someone with a mouthful of dirt. Even if they’re an actor and it may not actually be dirt, the thought of it still sends chills up my spine. Even those of us with the very best hygiene would rather have our entire body covered in filth as long as it doesn't get in our mouth. We want our mouth to be free from anything unclean. It’s ironic that the most vile and filthy things that come out of us make their way out through our mouth. On occasion, I have heard the older man ask the younger man that is talking filth, “Hey boy, do you kiss your mother with that mouth?’ The first time I heard that it really made me think. Our mouth and more specifically, our tongue is the producer of either truth and life or lies and death. It is either fresh and clean or stale and filthy. When we speak, it should be of utmost importance to us that we are speaking truth and life giving words. Even when we aren't necessarily meaning to lie, little regard for truth and accuracy can have the same impact as an outright lie. Even when we are not meaning to be destructive with our tongues, not being careful of our words to others can be just as destructive anyway. We need to go out of our way to do as today’s “gold nugget” says and, “Put away from you a deceitful mouth, and put perverse lips far from you.” What we need to do is clothe ourselves in honesty and purity with the intent to heal and encourage while being careful to avoid harmful words.

Prayer
Lord, I know that lying is not characteristic of a Christian, but sometimes we may be careless with the truth and end up being deceitful. Help us to be passionate for truth and regard it above our own convenience and agendas. Amen

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