My friend Ralph asked a group of us recntly if we had been on guard duty that day. Since none of us were active military, we returned a puzzled look. He then showed us Proverbs 21:23 (NIV) "He who guards his mouth and his tongue keeps himself from calamity." He then talked to us about our Christian obligation to always speak in a Christ-honoring way. This is a vital truth we need to apply. Psalm 141:3 (NIV) instructs "Set a guard over my mouth, O Lord, keep watch over the door of my lips."
The implication is clear: a guard won't allow anything bad or hurtful to escape. Conscientious Christians take these verses seriously. We have the wherewithal through the indwelling Holy Spirit to set a guard over speech.
In the New Testament, the Apostle James comes down even harder on this subject: "If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religious is worthless." (James 1:26 NIV)
King David said in Psalms 17:3 (NIV) "I have resolved that my mouth will not sin." What a declaration! Earlier in his life his mouth had given the order that brought Bathsheba to his bedroom. With his mouth he gave the order that her husband Uriah be abandoned on the front lines and killed in battle. Yes, David was well aware of the sins of the mouth. Proverbs 4:24 (NIV) teaches us "Put away perversity from your mouth, keep corrupt talk far from you lips."
Indeed, it is a full-time job to guard the mouth. Only when we are asleep is the mouth out of danger of sinning. The most powerful part of your body used to identify you as a Christian, when not used guardedly, can be your worst enemy in negating your Christian effectiveness. Guard it.
"Help us not to speak with a double-tongue. Remind us that good and evil speech must
not come from the same lips. May we use our mouths to consistently point to You. Amen"
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