Do Everything With Love

A Mouth That Closes And Ears That Don’t

   In a book called “Letters to Phillip” by Charlie W. Shedd  there is a great deal of practical advice for would-be husbands, and in that book, a particular phrase stood out in my mind: “God gave man a mouth that closes and ears that don’t, which should tell us something.”  This principle has helped me in my marriage (sadly, on fewer occasions than I had hoped), but surely other aspects of my life can also benefit from its practice.  I want to briefly mention two of those benefits.

   First, by realizing that our mouths close and our ears don’t, one can become a better parent.  Paul said in Ephesians 6:4, “And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.”  Few things will provoke a child more than to have his or her words completely ignored.  If you want to get through to your children, listen to them.  I don’t mean let them run all over you, for that is the plight of families all over the world.  Just let them know that what they think and how they feel matters to you.

   Secondly, closing our mouths and opening our ears will help us to serve God acceptably.  “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”  (2 Timothy 2:15.)  Men will always have a way that seems right to them.  God says, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.”  (Proverbs 16:25.)  In His word, God has given instructions for life and godliness.  (2 Peter 1:3.)  For a Christian, the Bible should be a sufficient guide.  We should not seek to serve God with ideas that men have set forth.  So when it comes to serving God, close the mouth of self-will and open your ears to the will of God.

   Our lives would benefit greatly if we would simply remember that God gave us a mouth that closes, and ears that don’t.