Proverbs 29:11 – The Fool’s Mind
“A fool uttereth all his mind: but a wise man keepeth it in till afterwards.” (Proverbs 29:11 KJV)
Have you ever known anyone of whom it could be said, “He never had an unspoken thought?” Or “What comes into her mind comes out her mouth without passing through her brain.” I’ve known people like this. They are not necessarily bad people, but the problem is that they seldom take the time to consider the impact of their words before speaking. I knew one Christian lady who was known for this kind of thing, and she would be genuinely shocked when she found out her words offended another person. She was not an intentionally mean lady, but her words often came across that way. Others, even though their words are not necessarily offensive, tend to say everything that is on their mind – both good and bad. Proverbs refers to this person as a “prating” fool.
The wise man holds back from revealing all of his mind. He takes the time to process his thoughts, holding back from speaking until he has ordered his thoughts. He then may or may not speak what is on his mind. The wise man keeps himself from offending others by carefully considering the impact of his words. He also considers whether or not his thoughts are worth sharing with others. He asks himself: “Will speaking my mind edify, or encourage? Would saying this unnecessarily offend? Is it true, kind, loving, and necessary?” The wise man takes all of this and more into consideration, before he ever opens his mouth.
Read Proverbs 10:8-10; Matthew 12:36-37; James 1:19-20; 3:1-2