Blurting

Proverbs 15:28 (KJV) Says, "The heart of the righteous studieth to answer: but the mouth of the wicked poureth out evil things."

The above verse of scripture makes it clear that as Christians who desire to live our lives in a righteous manner we should think before we speak. It tells us that the wicked blurt out whatever they have on their minds; failing to take time to ponder the appropriate way in which they should respond.

There are several pros to practicing the art of thinking before we speak. One of those is of course that we choose words that are more pleasing to God. Another is we are less likely to blurt out statements that are apt to fuel a disagreement or insight an argument. We are also less likely to say something that will hurt another person's feelings, and more likely to remain on topic in lieu of blurting out a bunch of nonsense just because we're angry. Responding to any situation in a negative manner with out of control dialogue never results in a positive outcome. We all know a few hot heads who do not pause before responding, and the results are never good. Responding without taking time to think can, and often does result in the person who blurted looking ridiculous, and having regrets about much of what they said. I know because I use to have a real problem with blurting out whatever came to mind, and it is something that I continue to work on.

Another form of blurting that results from not taking time to think about what one is about to say is committing to something prior to giving all that goes into it proper consideration, and before checking your schedule. I've done this too. I failed to check my calendar and double booked myself scheduling an appointment one hour prior to performing a wedding ceremony that was being held about two hours away from my appointment. This is all because I blurted out sure I'll perform the wedding ceremony without ever checking my calendar.  I felt terrible about the mix up, and it taught me to always check my calendar before I blurt out that I'm available. If I'm not near my calendar, I tell the caller I will have to get back with them. The bottom line is blurting can cause a number of issues, and it is never a good idea.

Another form of blurting is often done by parents who don't think about how they should respond to a child they are correcting. Parents may blurt out things they regret, if they fail to calm down before addressing their child. They may blurt out some ridiculous punishment that they realize they cannot carry out after they have calmed down and become rational with their vocabulary again.
This can result in the child coming to believe that their parent is not going to do what they say, and this causes a lack of respect in some cases.

Most people have experienced situations where their boss has said or done something that prompted them to become angry. When things like this happen we must take time to think about how we should respond. We should never go into the bosses office, and blurt out exactly what we are thinking or behave in an even more drastic fashion by storming into the bosses office and quitting. If we fail to take time to think before we speak in situations like these, we can wind up jobless via getting fired or quitting; because we reacted in a manner that simply wasn't rational.

There are many scenarios where taking time out to contemplate the most appropriate way to respond to a situation, issue, or individual is warranted in lieu of blurting that results in negative consequences. In short, there are only a few times in which it is a good idea to blurt. For example, if someone is in danger of being struck by a vehicle, and you blurt "watch out for that car" that would be considered appropriate blurting. If someone was about to step on a snake, and you blurted "stop" that would be considered appropriate blurting.

There are a few instances where blurting is necessary and appropriate, but for the most part it is a bad idea. We as Christians who are attempting to live our lives in a righteous manner setting a good example for others, need to think before we speak. We need to make certain that we are calm and that our responses are those that reflect who we are as followers of Jesus Christ. When we practice the art of thinking before we speak we will be more likely to respond in an appropriate manner, we will be more likely to stay on topic and not waste words, we will be more likely to come across calm and rational, and we will have far fewer regrets about the things we've said.

Remember that the Bible tells us that righteous people think before they speak, and that wicked people just blurt out whatever they're thinking. Remind yourself that blurting doesn't fit who you are as a follower of Jesus Christ, and practice thinking before you respond to people, issues, problems, and situations of any sort. Thinking before we speak goes a long way in reflecting that we are born again Christians, and that we respond as such.

If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, leave me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you.