Ready:
“The one who guards his mouth and tongue keeps himself out of trouble.” —Provérbios 21:23
Set:
Communication is crucial in sports. The way you use your words can be either effective or destructive. What you say and how you say it matters. It plays a significant role in whether you’re competing and living wisely.
To be wise is to understand how to apply God’s Word in everyday situations, including in the context of our sport. Among the many aspects of wisdom that the book of Proverbs addresses, a repeated topic is the use of our tongue. According to Proverbs, we live wisely when we exercise discipline in how we speak. One dimension of this discipline is knowing when to hold our tongue rather than letting loose with what’s on our mind. Proverbs 21:23 commends those who guard their mouth and tongue. Especially when competitive emotions are running high, holding our tongue can keep us from sinning against others with destructive words.
Exercising this discipline involves developing the habit of thinking before we speak. So much trouble and damage can be avoided when we pause to consider our words before we say them. Provérbios 10:19 observes, “When there are many words, sin is unavoidable, but the one who controls his lips is prudent.” During intense moments in games or when a practice feels more frustrating than fruitful, it’s tempting to speak before we’ve thought about the impact our words will have. Even when we’re joking around with teammates or fellow coaches, we can say things we think will be humorous—but when we later think about it, we realize our words were hurtful.
Thinking before we speak also includes doing more listening than talking. Proverbs 18:13 says, “The one who gives an answer before he listens—this is foolishness and disgrace for him.” When we prioritize listening and make the effort to listen well, our understanding of people and of situations is deepened. This then gives us greater clarity about what to say and what not to say.
Because communication is so important, being a wise competitor involves developing the discipline of using your words well. Look to the Lord to do this. Trust Christ’s power and grace to enable you to speak in ways that honor Him in the sphere of influence He’s given you.
Go:
As you consider how you use your words as a competitor, in what ways are you honoring the Lord—and in what ways are your words not wise?
What steps can you take to grow in the discipline of thinking before you speak?
Workout:
Overtime:
“Lord, I praise You because You speak to us through Your Word. I pray that You would enable me to grow in speaking with discipline and listening well to others. I pray that the way I use my tongue would glorify You. Amen.”