Day 28 - The Loquacious Tongue

Loquacious - exceedingly talkative

1 Thessalonians 4:11,12 'Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.'

We used to call this form of using the tongue, verbal diarrhea or someone who is long-winded or a motor mouth. Have you ever met someone that can make a 5 minute story into a half an hour saga?
I have a hard time with small talk and so when someone carries on about surface things, I find it difficult to listen well. It is especially frustrating if the conversation is negative or full of gossip.
Deborah Pegues comments, ' When I am in the presence of an incessant talker, I often wonder if that person is lonely, has few opportunities to talk to others, or just plain loves the sound of her voice. Whatever the motivation excessive talking tends not to glorify God. I heard someone say that any conversation that lasts more than ten minutes will usually end up on the wrong path.'
She also suggested a couple of ways to veer away from our own loquaciousness. Ask the person you are talking with an open-ended question, one that requires more than a yes or no response. Also make your talking count. Tell a story of God's grace or mercy, share an interesting fact or story you've read.
Whatever you say, be careful to think first and determine whether or not it will be pleasing to God.
I could go on and on about loquaciousness ;) or I will just let God's Word instruct us to do the opposite things like being silent, quiet or subdued.
Speaking the Truth
Ecclesiastes 3:1,7 'There is a time for everything and a season for every activity under heaven: a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak.'

Proverbs 17:28 'Even a fool is thought wise if he keeps silent and discerning if he holds his tongue.'

Ecclesiastes 9:17 ' The quiet words of the wise are more to be heeded than the shouts of a ruler of fools.'

1 Peter 3:3,4 'Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight.'

Excerpted from: 30 Days to Taming Your Tongue by Deborah Smith Pegues (Harvest House Publishers 2005). Autographed copy available from: www.confrontingissues.com