Proverbs 6 "Trapped By Words"

Ever have something you said come back and bite you in the rear? Get caught in a lie? Or something you said got found out?

We have two choices when our tongue gets us in trouble: PRIDE or HUMILITY.

      "if you have been trapped by what you said,
        ensnared by the words of your mouth,
        then do this, my son, to free yourself,...
        go and humble yourself; press your plea
        with your neighbor!" Pr.6:2-3

Aknowledge you're wrong. Ask forgiveness. Choose humility. Do it asap. Verse 4 says even before you sleep: "Allow no sleep to your eyes, no slumber to your eyelids."

      "Free yourself, like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter
        like a bird from the snare of the fowler." Pr.6:5

This verse gives an interesting picture. When a bird is caught in a snare, there is much flapping, fluttering & struggling. Because of the captured foot, it never goes any further than the snare allows, which jerks it back over & over again.

This is exactly what happens when we choose pride. We will never be able to grow further than the snare of the bondage of sin will allow. We try to cover up. We struggle to appear genuine. We live in fear of the being found out. We dread the day it'll happen. And it will  happen.  How much easier life could be if we'd chose humility from the start. No fear, no anxiety, no covering up...just peace. Beautiful, restful peace!

Have you spoken harsh words to your child? Spouse? Right now, ask forgiveness. Have you made a degrading comment to or about a co-worker, neighbor or friend? Right now, ask forgiveness.

I've been surprised over and over how relationships have grown, simply because I was quick to be humble enough to ask forgiveness. Sometimes it was rough and the healing took a while, but in the end it was worth it. So worth it.

A few evenings ago, my husband made a smart remark about a new dish I made. "Eat or make your own!" I snapped defensively. The second those words left my mouth I regretted them. So my next  sentence had to be,"I'm sorry. You didn't deserve that."

The evening progressed in complete unity. So much more peaceful than the option of pride would have been. Bless his heart, he ate the dish. Which, by the way, I will not be making again. Pinterest fail!

Seeking forgiveness softens the heart of the offended, making them willing to extend grace to the offender.

So do it early.

Do it first.