Master Your Mouth

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Beware, Superkid! Danger! Danger! There is a trap nearby! It’s a mouth trap! And it’s right under your nose!

 

Superkid, what if we could guide our lives by controlling ourselves in one area? James 3:2, The Passion Translation, says: “We all fail in many areas, but especially with our words. Yet if we’re able to bridle the words we say we are powerful enough to control ourselves in every way, and that means our character is mature and fully developed.”

 

It may not seem like a kid’s words could matter much, other than getting us in trouble with Mom and Dad or at school. But Almighty God created us with power in our words. Proverbs 18:21 says, “Your words are so powerful that they will kill or give life, and the talkative person will reap the consequences.”

 

So you can use your mouth to bring good things to you or to bring things into your life that you don’t want. It’s up to you—it really is your choice. How do you choose? How do you change what you say?

 

James 3:3-4 says, “Horses have bits and bridles in their mouths so that we can control and guide their large body. And the same with mighty ships, though they are massive and driven by fierce winds, yet they are steered by a tiny rudder at the direction of the person at the helm.”

 

Can you control a big horse or a big ship? Yes! And the controller—a bit in the mouth or the rudder of a ship—is small in comparison.

 

Our lives are BIG! God’s plans for us—BIG, and all controlled by that little thing under our noses. Verse 5 says, “The tongue is a small part of the body yet it carries great power!” Our tongue, or mouth, is like the small match flame that can start a fire that can burn a whole forest down. One small match can light a candle or burn down a house, give light or destroy.

 

Verse 6 sums it up, “And the tongue is a fire! It can be compared to the sum total of wickedness and is the most dangerous part of our human body.” Wow! The most dangerous part of our human body. More dangerous than your hand that can push someone or your feet that can stomp on something? Yes, Superkid, our words are that powerful!

 

We can’t control our mouths by ourselves, but the Lord is here to help us. Our part is to choose to let Jesus help us say good things. Verses 9-10 explain, “We use our tongue to praise God our Father and then turn around and curse a person who was made in his very image! Out of the same mouth we pour out words of praise one minute and curses the next…. This should never be!”

 

Can you choose with me, Superkid? Let’s do this!

Step 1,             You Choose: How will I use my words, my mouth? I will use my words to create good things in my life and in the lives of others.

Step 2,             You Give: Give your mouth, your tongue, your words to Jesus to bring life. Allow Him to use your mouth to bless, to help, to bring joy and laughter to others.

Step 3,             You Submit: Jesus, You are my Teacher, Lord and Master. Correct me when I start to say things that tear down. Give me words to say that build up.

Step 4,             You Think: Get in the habit of thinking before you speak. What will these words do?

 

Your words are like building blocks that snap together to make things. Day after day we use 7,000 to 20,000 words! What could you build with that many blocks? Let’s build great things with our words!

 

I’m sure your parents or siblings can help you catch yourself speaking negative or hurtful things. When I was a kid, we “helped” each other in our family to use our words on purpose. It became like a game to us! My brother, John, and I loved it when we got to correct our parents when they made bad word choices. That doesn’t mean just when someone uses a curse word. It also means when something is said that you don’t want to happen, but you say it anyway like, “I never get to have fun” or “I can’t do my math right” or “I’m so stupid!” These statements may not seem evil, but your enemy will use them, day after day, one block after another, to bring trouble into your life.

 

But Superkid, WE SAY, “NO MORE!” Our words belong to Jesus and we use them for good!

We are masters of OUR mouths!

 

Word!

 

COMMANDER KELLIE♥