Has your mouth ever written a check your hind end didn’t want to cash? In other words, has your mouth ever gotten you into trouble? Oh boy, has it! I can think of more than a few times in my life as a child and as an adult that I said what I said and didn’t like the consequences.

Proverbs 10:13 says, “On the lips of him who has understanding, wisdom is found, but a rod is for the back of him who lacks sense.” We’ve all said unwise things. Perhaps it was dumb or smart-alek or just plain disrespectful. But whatever the case may it got us into trouble. As a child, it may have gotten us an actual rod of discipline across our back or a belt or a paddle across our bottom or a switch across our legs, but as an adult, it’s usually a metaphorical rod of discipline. But sometimes that hurts more and hurts longer than getting an actual whipping.

Beloved, we have to use our good sense and think before we speak. We must consider what we are going to say and what impact those words will have not only on those who hear our words but also on ourselves as we must face the consequences of our words. On the lips of him who has understanding, wisdom is found. And if we’ll speak wisely, we’ll save our back from that rod.

Change begins in you!