Think Twice and Speak Once

Growing up in shop class I learned the saying “measure twice, cut once” to avoid mistakes. I’m not a great carpenter. Carpentry is like speaking. The more time you take to review what you say, the less you say. I must admit. I’m not much better at speaking than carpentry.

Wisdom comes with age, so they say, because experience tends to build wisdom. What we think we learned as children is often replaced with experience. When it comes to shop class, most of what I learned has held true. I only wish I could measure my words twice.

BRETHREN, when I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; when I became a man, I gave up childish ways. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall understand fully, even as I have been fully understood. So faith, hope, love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love. Make love your aim, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy. For one who speaks in a tongue speaks not to men but to God; for no one understands him, but he utters mysteries in the Spirit. On the other hand, he who prophesies speaks to men for their upbuilding and encouragement and consolation. He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church. Now I want you all to speak in tongues, but even more to prophesy. He who prophesies is greater than he who speaks in tongues, unless some one interprets, so that the church may be edified.

1^st Corinthians 13.11-14.5

Today is the Feast of Saint Julitta and her toddler child Kyrikos. The Epistle reading chosen for today is about the wisdom of children. I’m not writing about child wisdom today. Instead, I am inspired by the words, “He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself.”

How often do we regret what comes out of our mouths, merely because we didn’t think twice. In carpentry you can throw away a ‘bad cut’ of wood. Words cannot be thrown away. They just ‘hang out there’ never forgotten. I wish I had figured this out sooner.

What speaks to me (pun intended) today is the challenge to edify others with our words rather than speaking for ourselves. Often our words aren’t for the other. We love to hear ourselves speak.

In that spirit I offer this challenge today. Before you speak, think twice. Ask yourself if your words will edify the other. If not, then remain silent.