No one is perfect. At certain moments, anyone can say foolish things or show indiscretion. The key is not that we always utter wise words with robotic regularity, but that when we do say things we shouldn’t have, we quickly correct the problem. At times we can hear words coming out of our mouth that we know are beneath us and that bring dishonor to Christ. We might be horrified to hear the self-centered or destructive words that are flowing out of our mouth.
That is the moment to bring that conversation to an abrupt end. It isn’t always easy. We may have already gathered an audience. Perhaps those listening are speaking in the same vein. Like stopping the flow of water after a break occurs in a dam, it can be difficult to bring conversations to an end once the words are flowing.
Yet while we cannot go back and retrieve words once they have been uttered, we can put an immediate stop to them once we realize we are sinning. Showing self-control at the end of the day is still better than demonstrating no self-control at all. If you have developed some bad habits in which you say things you shouldn’t, take decisive action today to put a stop to it. You are still the master of your mouth. You can stop sinful behavior any time you choose to.