CARELESS WORDS ARE DANGEROUS WORDS!

Careless Words Can Create a Disaster

• Can create wounds
• Can Create misunderstandings
• Can create unnecessary frustration
• Can create barriers between you and others
• Can create a trap to hold us back from promotion
• Can create curses over our lives, and the lives of those around us

We need to master blessing other people!

If we are going to LIVE WISELY then we need to choose to use 'CAREFUL' - NOT 'CARELESS' WORDS

Careful Words Can:

• Build Others Up
• Clarify Situations
• Strengthen Relationships
• Bring Hope and Joy

1. Careless Words are Many... Careful words are Few – REFRAIN from talking too much - Proverbs 21:23; Proverbs 10:19

Trouble means "Distress or Unnecessary Grief"

Sometimes we need to turn off the flow
(zip it before we flip it)!

Careless words Flow Freely in the heat of a moment.

A few practical guidelines when:

• You're tempted to talk about someone – turn off the flow
• You're tempted to talk about yourself and your accomplishments – turn off the flow
• Talk becomes negative – turn off the flow
• You`re not giving someone an opportunity to speak – turn off the flow

I gotta know when to turn off the flow!  "Even a fool when he holds his peace is considered wise!" - Proverbs 17:28

It's better to keep silent and let people think you're a fool - then to open your mouth and remove all doubt! - Abe Lincoln

2.  Careful words are Filtered – RESTRAIN from responding quickly in conflict - Proverbs 17:27

Our words need to be helpful - not harmful!

TWO POWERFUL METHODS for Filtering My Words:

1. Restraint: means to quietly depart from someone, to withdraw from something

Politely walk away – before you say  – something you’ll regret!

2. Even-tempered: means "not easily angered, remaining cool, calm and self-controlled"

Take a moment to Pray before you Say

3.  Careful words are Favorable – RETAIN a Christ-like quality - Proverbs 8:7-8

True means "reliable, ethical" AND "lining up with God’s word".

Wholesome means "beneficial to the well-being of others".

• They build others up
• They bring life into situations
• They boost people’s faith

Good means "upright, exemplary, pure"

My Words will be "True, Wholesome and Good"