Day 15 - The Know-It-All Tongue

I know, you who use their tongue this way, know what I am gonna say about it! Seriously though, this tongue description is pretty self-explanatory.
I remember Joyce Meyer saying, "Being right is highly overrated!"
Practicing humility stops you from giving into the temptation of proving yourself right. My girlfriend and I used to remind each other of the motto, myob, or mind your own business. If we found ourselves giving unsolicited advice to others, especially our grown children, we would gently say myob!
You could use the phrase 'you should' as a trigger to recognize imposing your opinion on someone. Whenever you hear yourself saying those words, check your motives behind them.
Proverbs 12:23 ' A prudent man keeps his knowledge to himself, but the heart of fools blurts out folly.'
This is another instance where the saying God gave us two ears and one mouth for a reason. Listen well to others, be slow to speak. Let them tell you something you already know. This will keep a handle on your pride. Why do you feel a need to know it all?
Deborah Pegues asks, "Is your need for display of knowledge a smoke screen for insecurity? Are you craving attention or appreciation because you are not getting it from the source you desire?"
Proverbs 21:23 'The proud and arrogant man - "Mocker" is his name; he behaves with overweening pride.'
Check your words, are you feeding your pride or submitting to humility by the things you are saying or stopping yourself from saying?
Speaking the Truth
Titus 3:1,2 'Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and to show true humility toward all men.'
1Peter5:5,6 'Young men, in the same way be submissive to those who are older. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble" Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.'

Excerpted from 30 Days to Taming Your Tongue by Deborah Smith Pegues (Harvest House Publishers 2005). Autographed copy of the book and workbook available at www.confrontingissues.com.