Loose Cannon

The tongue holds the power to promote life into the lives of those around you or it can be a loose cannon firing off and producing countless casualties.  Do you want to be responsible for promoting life in people this week or aiming carelessly with loose cannons from your mouth?  We need to learn how to take better responsibility for the words that proceed from our mouths.  May we find wisdom in the Proverbs and let the words transform our hearts.  I pray our understanding may change, so that we can be conformed into God’s likeness alone.

Solomon mentioned the tongue many times in the Proverbs because he knew of its power and warned us of the danger we would face when opening our mouths.  It’s time to heed the principles we see in Proverbs and let the Scripture transform our lives so we will not let loose cannons fly out and harm those we care about.  Here are some of Solomon’s words and ways to apply them in our daily lives:

When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise. (Proverbs 10:19)

It’s so easy to have diarrhea of the mouth.  Many times we become overly eager to share what we think with others.  We forget to stop and listen.  It becomes easy to sin when we talk a lot and listen a little.  But when we allow ourselves to stop talking, we start to see the hand of God move in the circumstances before us.  His wisdom is what we need to lean on, not our own wisdom.  It’s harder to be found in sin when our mouths are shut.  It’s a lot harder to keep our mouths shut and our ears open, but wisdom shows us in God’s Word that this is the better route to go.  Over and over again, God took the opportunities He was given to speak in the silent times.  He wants us to give Him time to speak to others.  It is Him who judges sin, not us.

“He who guards his lips guards his life, but he who speaks rashly will come to ruin.” (Proverbs 13:3)

When you guard the words that you speak, you essentially guard the life that you live.  Do not speak rashly about the things you believe in the moment or the feelings you have for a moment?  Make sure that you can stand behind every word you say with facts and Scripture!  Do not open your mouth with words that could contaminate your character.  Be careful of what you say, as your life is a living testimony of the One you live for daily!

“He who guards his mouth and his tongue keeps himself from calamity.” (Proverbs 21:23)

What you say today could clearly affect something tomorrow, so be careful with every word.  You never know what will happen tomorrow.  Guard the words that you say.  Make sure that your words are filled with God’s love, joy, and peace.  May your words be chosen carefully, as you continue to come face to face with the battles ahead.

“Apply your heart to instruction and your ears to words of knowledge.” (Proverbs 23:12)

Here is the key to having less loose cannon balls in your cannon.  The key to having less loose words on your lips and more powerful love in your heart.  The most important thing is to apply God’s Truth to your heart, to read it and study it.  God’s Word will transform your mind and conform Your heart to His likeness, then Your heart will be able to apply this instruction in the real world.  This knowledge will continue to be useful as you walk out your daily life and come across situations that would normally make your tongue a dangerous weapon.  May your ears become open to hearing God’s knowledge, so you can understand more of God’s Truth.  Then you will be able to catch yourself from shooting off loose cannon balls!

Dear Father God, I pray that I will shoot off less cannon balls in my life and have a tighter reign on my tongue.  May I continue to seek Your counsel in my life.  I pray that my words will be uplifting to Your name and that I may glorify You alone in my life, words, and actions!

Keep a Tight Reign on My Tongue,