Open mouth. Insert love.

She opens her mouth with wisdom, and in her tongue is the law of kindness. (Proverbs 31:26) [KJV]

As a wordsmith, speech matters to me. I probably take the remarks of others deeper than I should, as a result. 

Such a concept must work both ways. While I can’t help but pay close attention to the comments of others, I must also remember that what comes out of my mouth must be tempered and sweetened before utterance.

A few months ago, I wrote about being disappointed when my mother and brother decided not to move to Georgia. Since then, the world has changed, and their opportunity to live near me solidified. While it will take time for us to get used to such new living arrangements, the biggest thing I need to remember is to watch my words. 

What I mean by that is I think, live, and talk differently than they do. Many years of existing worlds apart have served to establish alternate mindsets. I need to remember to watch what I say and how I react to what others say. 

My mom, for example, has adopted a straightforward way of speaking that I told her should be captured in a book of “momisms.” Here are a few small samples: 

• My mother loves birds, so I thought she’d enjoy going to an avian conservatory to see Wood Storks nesting in our area. “Birds are birds,” my mom said, choosing to go to the beach instead. Since then, whenever we see a new bird, I can’t help but use this unique expression in her presence. “Birds are birds,” I say as we both laugh.
• After dining out a few weeks ago, my mom called the waitress to let her know we wanted our check. “Excuse me,” she said. “We’ve accomplished all that we wanted to here.” I could only shake my head.

Obviously, this phraseology makes me chuckle – but sometimes, such utterances have the opposite effect. In one such instance, my mom and I had eased into a weekend with a big breakfast requiring substantial cleanup. I was taking things a bit slowly, but it quickly became apparent that my mom was ready to move to another activity. Tensions were a bit high, and comments were, unfortunately, escalating. 

“We’ve gone around like two cats today,” my mother said, which likened my mind to a mental image of two fighters preparing to pounce. My defenses rose, and I responded that such a statement wasn’t fair or kind. 

Perhaps, instead, I should have kept my mouth shut and let it go – understanding that my mom thinks differently than I do. 

And so, I will endeavor to live up to today’s Bible verse: “She opens her mouth with wisdom, and in her tongue is the law of kindness.” (Proverbs 31:26) [KJV]

If I can keep God’s wisdom in my mind and mouth, perhaps my patience will follow suit. It’s a gift to have my mother near me. I know she is happy to be close to the beach where we both always longed to live. 

Help me to speak love, Lord Jesus. You are the author and finisher of my faith. Help me live it out, even when challenged by the words, actions, and deeds of others. 

#SpeakLove; #SpeakLife