Our physical body tells us that hearing is rather important. God created us with two ears and only one mouth. That’s suggests a worthy piece of counsel: Listen twice as much as you speak.
Not surprisingly, the Bible gives incredibly low marks for a fool. One of the words that is actually used to describe a fool is “moron” (Matthew 5:22). And yet, even a fool is considered perceptive, even wise, when he holds his peace, that is, when he keeps his lips closed (Proverbs 17:28).
These cautions ought to capture our attention when we talk, especially when we talk about ourselves. Does not that person in the mirror you see every day cry out for attention and approval and acceptance? Opening our mouth provides an avenue to do so, although that may not be the best route.
When we sense the need to talk about ourselves, it is usually wise to ask why. Starting a question with “Why” leads us to evaluate the motive behind it, the desire of the heart. How wise we are when we probe this decision-making power in our life!
Is it wrong to talk about ourselves? Not necessarily. It connects us with other people as we share life experiences. But the One we ought to really talk about and Who ultimately connects us with life is Jesus Christ. Is He the One we speak often of? Is He the center of our conversations? Why not?
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