Proverbs 4:23-24 Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. Keep your mouth free of perversity; keep corrupt talk far from your lips.
The book of Proverbs emphasizes on the three M’s – the Mind, the Mouth and Morality. The book of Proverbs is rich in mind management, tongue control and integrous lifestyle. The silent rumination of our mind flows through as confessions of our mouth and directs our actions and decisions. The mouth bubbles with what the mind brews and the mouth and the mind fashion a man’s morality and probity. Mind, mouth and morality are intertwined.
Psycholinguistics research states that we plan our speech in different ways but we do have the ability to filter our thoughts before they flow through our tongue. Controlling our tongue starts with bridling our thoughts. Decluttering our heart will automatically change our lifestyle. The heart and head must be set right before it can have a positive impact on our habits.
A perverse mouth and corrupt conversations are screen prints or the reflections of the heart. Foul comments flow from a filthy mind. Hence it is wrong to say that we didn’t mean what we said. The words of the reckless pierce like swords, but the tongue of the wise brings healing (Proverbs 12:18). Demeaning comments cannot be excused as jokes.
Morality is a set of principles that distinguish between right and wrong or good and bad behaviour. Unfortunately ‘morality’ in this world is defined by personal values and beliefs. If a person believes that spurring out ‘white lies’, (which doesn’t harm another person), is not wrong, then their morality is marred. Right or wrong is not determined by our belief system but by the Living Word, the Bible. Wisdom is hidden in the Word of God.
Mind, Mouth and Morality are interwoven:
1. Mind: The thoughts that we ruminate are stored in our heart. Hence it is important to watch over our stinking thinking in order to keep our heart from cluttering with hurtful, unholy and horrendous insults, incidents and inclinations. Our mind ‘feeds’ on good thoughts or ‘festers’ on bad memories. Bridle your mind and guard your heart.
2. Mouth: We cannot tame the mouth by exercising self-control. The bridle should be in our mind in order to have control over our mouth. If we catch ourselves thinking ugly thoughts, we must reverse it before it translates as a pungent comment. If we let our thoughts run wild our words will become wily and wayward.
3. Morals: Our moral standards are not the ways of our best friend, our mentor or even our pastor. Morality and fidelity are packed in the Word of God. If we are ashamed of our thoughts in private, then our morality is shady and messy.
Morality is built brick by brick by the mind and the mouth.
Proverbs 4:25 Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you. Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways.
Prayer: Father God, help my moral standards to be aligned with the instructions and direction stipulated in your Word. Amen.
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