Anglican Devotional 3 December 2022 – Be Careful How You Talk
TOPIC: Be Careful How You Talk
READ: Mark 12:13-27 (NKJV)
Then they sent to Him some of the Pharisees and the Herodians, to catch Him in [His] words.
When they had come, they said to Him, “Teacher, we know that You are true, and care about no one; for You do not regard the person of men, but teach the way of God in truth. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?
“Shall we pay, or shall we not pay?” But He, knowing their hypocrisy, said to them, “Why do you test Me? Bring Me a denarius that I may see [it.”]
So they brought [it.] And He said to them, “Whose image and inscription [is] this?” They said to Him, “Caesar’s.”
And Jesus answered and said to them, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” And they marveled at Him.
Then [some] Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Him; and they asked Him, saying:
“Teacher, Moses wrote to us that if a man’s brother dies, and leaves [his] wife behind, and leaves no children, his brother should take his wife and raise up offspring for his brother.
“Now there were seven brothers. The first took a wife; and dying, he left no offspring.
“And the second took her, and he died; nor did he leave any offspring. And the third likewise.
“So the seven had her and left no offspring. Last of all the woman died also.
“Therefore, in the resurrection, when they rise, whose wife will she be? For all seven had her as wife.”
Jesus answered and said to them, “Are you not therefore mistaken, because you do not know the Scriptures nor the power of God?
“For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven.
“But concerning the dead, that they rise, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the [burning] bush [passage,] how God spoke to him, saying, ‘I [am] the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’?
“He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living. You are therefore greatly mistaken.”
THE MESSAGE:
Scriptures abound with passages that encourage prudence in our words. For instance, St. James points out the importance of speaking carefully: “My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to get angry” (James 1:19). Why is this important? This is because words, once spoken, can either make or mar both the speaker and his hearers. In today’s passage, Jesus’ enemies set a trap for Him, hoping to catch Him in His words. But Jesus responded to the challenge with wisdom and discernment. As a result, His enemies were disgraced.
You must pray for such wisdom and the ability to discern. Not all who listen to you mean well for you. Some only pretend to do so in order to gather arrows with which to destroy you. That is why our speech should always be seasoned with grace (Colossians 4:6). Also consider the following scriptures: “When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise” (Proverbs 10:19, NIV); “Do you see a man who speaks in haste? There is more hope for a fool than for him” (Proverbs 29:20); “He who guards his mouth and his tongue keeps himself from calamity” (Proverbs 21:23, NIV). Listen more. Talk wisely and only when necessary.
PRAYER: Lord, help me to be quick to listen and slow to speak. Amen.
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