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I love the old Andy Griffith Show. A gentler time...then.

In one of the first season episodes with the new regular star Elinor Donahue, Ellie, Andy, Opie, and Aunt Bee are enjoying a picnic out in the woods. Opie and Aunt Bee decide to go for a walk, while Ellie cleans up and Andy lies back on the blanket, covering himself with the local newspaper.

An article catches Ellie’s eye: those running for city council. Ellie wonders why there are no women running. She gets huffy trying to defend womanhood as Andy tells her she’s taking it too personal.

“That’s a silly attitude!” he tells her.

“Silly?” she retorts.

“Ooh...ooh...I didn’t mean to say that. No, I didn’t mean to say that a bit. It just slipped right out of my mouth. Here, give it right back to me. (pretends to put it back in his mouth) (slurp!) It’s back. And it had a ba-a-a-ad taste. A whole lot of times, we do things and say things even though deep down we know they’re just plain silly.”

Ellie glares at him.

“Ooh, did that bad tastin’ word slip out again?”

How often do we let those bad tastin’ words slip out of our mouths?

Sometimes, we speak negatively, spewing out empty, worthless words, like death, fear, doubt, unbelief, defeat, hate, depression, and discouragement when we should be speaking Life-giving words, like peace, faith, hope, love, encouragement, and blessings?

Jesus said, “On the day of judgment men will have to give account for every idle (inoperative, nonworking) word they speak…Your words now reflect your fate then: either you will be justified by them or you will be condemned.” (Matt. 12:36 Amp, Matt. 12:37 TLB)

Whew! That’s a lot to think about!

He also said, “Whatever is in the heart overflows into speech.” (Luke 6:45b TLB)

What overflows your heart into speech? Do you have to say, “Ooh...did I say that?”



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“I have something to say to you.” (Luke 7:40 NLT)

If Jesus said that to you, would you immediately put down your duster, turn off your computer, the radio, or TV, hang up the cell phone, or stop whatever you were doing and say as Samuel did, “Speak, for Your servant is listening,” (1 Sam. 3:10 NIV)?

Though I have learned to be still before the Lord, I sometimes fail to put that knowledge into practice. Allowing outside circumstances to overtake me, I listen to the multitude of voices or duties instead of the Lord.

I know I am not alone in this.

First, how many of us truly take time to be alone with the Lord, Whom we say we love? Second, even if we take five minutes to pray, we usually talk at God, treating prayer as a monologue and not as a conversation.

Conversing with the Lord implies that we listen to Him. He says, “Oh, that My people would listen to Me.” (Ps. 81:13a NKJV) Do we really make a conscious effort to sit down and listen for those precious whispers of the Lord?

Always in a rush, we put in our requests and rush out the door, not waiting to hear what God has to say. God does not have carry-out service like a drive-thru Taco Bell, and we don’t get to return what we receive if it isn’t prepared the way we want or to complain if it isn’t served as fast as we would like it.

If we unscramble the word ‘listen,’ what do we get? Enlist and silent! When we enlist in prayer, our priority should be more than just handing God our grocery lists of wants and needs; we should be to silent and listen.

God says, “Be still, and know that I am God.” (Ps. 46:10 NKJV) We must be still, for God is a Gentleman and does not force His way through all world’s racket buzzing around in our heads.

David said of being in the Lord’s presence, “That’s the only quiet, secure place in a noisy world, the perfect getaway far from the buzz of traffic.” (Ps. 27:4 Msg)

Other psalms give us comfort in that secret place, “You called in trouble, and I delivered you; I answered you in the secret place of thunder.” (Ps. 81:7 NKJV) and “He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.” (Ps. 91:1 NKJV)

Even Jesus Himself spoke of that secret place, “But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.” (Matt. 6:6 NKJV)

In the Lord’s presence is that secret place where no outcries of earth intrude, where no ghosts of years past interrupt, where no outside opinions interfere, where no urgency of decisions impede.

If we were still enough, we would hear all those messages of love, comfort, peace, guidance, and, yes, even discipline, that we long to hear. God is a Gentleman and will only speak to us when we shut out the racket of the world and stop talking. If we do not still our senses and hush our hearts, how can we hear heaven’s music?

Oh, to hush each intruder attempting to thwart the calm necessary for our weary and restless souls that we might experience that sacred silence in His presence, that secret fellowship with Him. Do we desire this more than the wooings of the world?

The Still Small Voice has no destination if there is no listening ear.

* Is intimacy with the Lord missing in your life?
* Do you take time to be still in His presence?
* Do you follow after Jesus seeking something from Him as the multitudes did,
* Or do you lean upon His breast as John the beloved did, just to be near Him, or sit at His feet as Mary did, just to serve Him in worship by pouring out your thanks and your tears as fragrant oil upon His body?

It only costs us our time to listen but it costs us our quality of life not to listen!

Jesus has something to say to you…will you listen?

“Is there wrong on my tongue? Cannot
my taste discern what is destructive?”(Job 6:30 Amp)
Wouldn’t it be nice if all the bad and negative words we say instantly left a terrible taste on your tongues? Maybe then, the next time, we wouldn’t speak them.

Do we ever stop to think about what we say?

Apparently not, for what do we do? We praise God, then turn around and spew out negative phrases.

James said, “Words of thanksgiving and cursing pour out from the same mouth. My brothers, this should not happen!” (James 3:10 GNB) “Does a spring of water bubble out with both fresh water and bitter water?…No, and you can’t draw fresh water from a salty pool.” (James 3:11,12b NLT)

Or we speak blistering words about someone or to someone.

David said, “You sit and speak against your brother; you slander your own mother’s son.” (Ps. 50:20 NKJV) Another version says, “You stab your own brother in the back.” (Ps. 50:20 Msg) Why do we do this?

Some say, “I don’t see that my words matter that much.” Well, our words do matter. James also said, “A word out of your mouth may seem of no account, but it can accomplish nearly anything - or destroy it!” (James 3:5 Msg) “What enormous damage it can do.” (James 3:5b TLB)

The words we speak can set our lives, or others, on fire for harm or for good. Our words can bring others to tears or lift their spirits.

Think of the millions of children and spouses who receive tongue-lashings by those who little realize the wounds they inflict with their razor-sharp words. Being verbally abused, they are told, “You’re stupid!” Or “Can’t you ever do anything right?” Or “Why can’t you be like your brother (or sister)?” Or “You’ll never amount to anything.” Or “I never wanted you in the first place.” Or “You’re no good.”

Words leave scars, scars that have never felt the wound of a weapon, to paraphrase Romeo. How many hearts have been injured by insensitive or ill-chosen words, wrecking havoc in their lives and shattering their self-confidence and self-worth?

If these negative words become etched upon the surface of another’s soul, they will play back throughout the rest of that one’s life unless he or she is taught how to deal with them.

Jesus warned, “Don’t pick on people, jump on their failures, criticize their faults - unless, of course, you want the same treatment. That critical spirit has a way of boomeranging.” (Matt. 7:102 Msg)

All those words we carelessly let loose are like homing pigeons, coming home to roost on us as they wound others on their flight and ultimately wound the Lord.

The Lord once said to me, “Do not wound My Heart by saying unkind things about those I love, things you could not say to their faces.” We grieve the Lord by what we say, and think, about the ones He loves. Our love for Christ must prevent us from hurting Him with our criticism and judgment of others, whether vocalized or silent.

God is very particular about how we treat His sons and daughters. Would you get upset if someone verbally mistreated your child?

Jesus told the Pharisees, “On the day of judgment men will have to give account for every idle (inoperative, nonworking) word they speak…Your words now reflect your fate then: either you will be justified by them or you will be condemned.” (Matt. 12:36 Amp, Matt. 12:37 TLB)

If we are required to answer for our speech, then we need to be cautious of what fills our hearts and overflows out of our mouths, for, as Jesus said, “Whatever is in the heart overflows into speech.” (Luke 6:45b TLB)

If our tongues speak from the abundance of our hearts, and if Jesus and scripture say our words are critical, then our words truly have extraordinary power and effect. They embody life and death, just as Solomon said, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue.” (Prov. 18:21a NKJV)

Especially in today’s climate, as home foreclosures abound, jobs dwindle and are lost, bank accounts become emptied, and sickness spreads, words of encouragement, comfort, and blessing are vital to each person’s mental well being.

Do you care how your words affect others? Do you “kill” others with your toxic tongue or do you speak hope and support into them with words of life? Do you speak harshly to your children or your spouse? How would you talk if Jesus were standing next to you or your pastor came to visit?

Solomon wrote, “Words kill, words give life; they’re either poison or fruit - you choose.” (Prov. 18:21 Msg)

Knowing the consequences of his thoughts and words, David was wise to pray, “Take control of what I say, O LORD, and guard my lips.” (Ps. 141:3 NLT)

Do you have a guard set to catch any nasty tasting words from slipping off the end of your tongue?