Obstacles to Mouth Peace

At our last event, we talked extensively about how we communicate with the people around us and how it can set them (and us) in the right or wrong directions based on what we say and how we say it. I quickly went through a list of common trouble-spots for women and asked you to evaluate which ones are your biggest problems so that you can get to the source of it and get it under control. As promised, here is that list in writing so you can really take it in:


Gossip: Do you enjoy hearing and repeating the latest news or rumors you hear about others?
Slander: Do you use your words to cast someone in a negative light?
Nagging: Do you repeat yourself over and over to get what you want?
Meddling: Do you get in the middle of other people’s issues, or try to be a go-between a lot?
Bragging: Do you seek attention by pointing out yourself to be greater than you actually are?
Lying: Do you leave out facts and/or misrepresent facts?
Embellishes: Do you make things seem dramatic, more exciting, or more horrible than they actual are?
Argumentative: Do you feel the need to have the last word and prove yourself to be right?
Anger: Do you have a bad-temper or get defensive easily?
Talking Too Much: Do you monopolize conversations, interrupt, and give your opinion frequently?
Withholding Reconciliation: Are you slow to forgive or admit you are wrong?
Disloyalty: Do you betray confidences or repeat things that should be private? When you are hurt, do you feel the need to share it with someone else instead of the offender?
Critical Spirit: Do you easily find faults and focus on people’s shortcomings?
Complaining: Do you whine and go on and on about your circumstances or let people know when you are inconvenienced or busy or tired? Is your first instinct to tell people all the things that are wrong in your life?
Wrong assumptions: Do you analyze and assume the worst about people’s motives and intentions? Do you accuse others of having motives that are bad? Are you suspicious of others, in general?
Record-keeper: Do you make list of other’s wrongs and bring them up as evidence to hurt them?
Sarcasm: Do you mock others and/or use humor to put others down or put them in their place?
Harsh words: Do you speak before you think? Do you use your words to hurt others?
Flatterer: Do you compliment others to your advantage? Do you use flattery to manipulate?
Potty Mouth: Do you use swear words around certain people just to make a point? Do you use the latest phrases or words even when they are generally considered not curse words, but are still unwholesome?
One-sided conversationalist: Do you fail to really listen to others? Do you start jumping to conclusions about what they are going to say before you are sure you have really heard and understood what they said? Do you spend the time while others talk thinking about what you are going to say next?

James 3:2 tells us that when it comes to our mouths, no person is perfect and we all stumble in many ways. Looking at the list above, that is obvious!
We all start to get off-track from time to time, and it happens so subtly that we don’t usually notice until we are having big problems. A true Legacy Moms realizes that it is good to asses ourselves from time to time and make adjustments before we run our family off into the ditch with our mouths. When we find mouth peace, we then can be God's mouthpiece and share hope, love and truth with our mouths and be a breath of fresh air in the lives of our loved ones and those we are building relationships with. If you were at the event, I'd love your feedback and how our discussion impacted you or what meant the most to you!

Have a blessed day!