By Michael Haley, pastor of Cross Creek Church, Colorado Springs, CO
Read Proverbs 6.
We have all been caught in some type of a snare. Proverbs 6:2 says, “You are snared by the words of your mouth.” Being caught in a trap is frustrating, but it is even worse when you trap yourself.
Yesterday my 90-pound bull mastiff got his massive paw caught in between the fence slats. She was scared, suffering, and stuck. My two dogs love to bark back at the neighbor’s two dogs, and the best we can guess is that our dog, Daisy, ran and put her paws on the fence with such force she broke through part of the slat and was caught. To set her free, my oldest son had to punch the slat to break it.
Our mouths can get us into a lot of trouble. Here in this chapter, the writer has hemmed himself in by what we would see as cosigning on a loan for his neighbor. Our words can ensnare us by being angry, careless, disrespectful, or thoughtless. Sometimes we can, by accident, put our foot in our mouth.
No matter how your words have bound you up, the key is to respond with humility. Click To TweetWhat do we do when our speech entraps us? Proverbs 6:3 gives us the key to unlocking the trap. “So do this, my son, and deliver yourself; for you have come into the hand of your friend: go and humble yourself; plead with your friend.” No matter how your words have bound you up, the key is to respond with humility. Is there someone your words have bound you to? May we be encouraged to respond humbly and with haste.
Reflective Questions:
- Is there someone you need to approach with humility to set yourself free?
- How do you struggle the most with your words?
- Why do you tend to be slow to seek forgiveness?
Memory Verse:
So do this, my son, and deliver yourself; for you have come into the hand of your friend: go and humble yourself; plead with your friend. Proverbs 6:3
Prayer:
Dear God, thank you for reminding me of the importance of my words. Help me to be encouraging, not discouraging. Help me be positive and uplifting. Help me to speak life, not death.
Click here to see a listing of each daily devotion.
