Tuesday, June 07, 2022

Guard Your Mouth, Preserve Relationships

 

Guard Your Mouth, Preserve Relationships

(Monroe County sunset. 5/8/20.)

I'm reading from Proverbs, searching for wisdom.

Proverbs 13:3 says,


Those who guard their lips preserve their lives, 
but those who speak rashly will come to ruin.

I know a man who spoke everything that came into his mind. He had no filter. He thought he was funny. He embarrassed his wife and children.

I have opened my mouth and ruined a relationship. I was twenty-one. I occasionally played golf with our family's insurance agent. His name was Don.

I remember driving home after a round of golf. Don was in the car with me. We started talking about cats. I told Don about our family's Maine coon cat. He was huge!

"What's his name?" Don asked.

"I named it "El Gato." That's Spanish for "The Cat.""

Then I added, "I didn't want to give him some ordinary name, like "Mittens.""

"Don, do you have a cat?"

"Yes," he said.

"What's its name?"

"Mittens."

That was the last time Don and I ever played golf.


A fool’s mouth lashes out with pride, 
but the lips of the wise protect them.

Proverbs 14:3

(If your cat is Mittens, forgive me...)