RX for The Gift of “Blurt”

Do you have the gift of “blurt?” Ever find yourself sticking your foot in your mouth?

We were keeping our two-year-old grandson Caden recently, and we noticed he kept sticking his foot (sandal) in his mouth, biting his shoe, while riding in the car seat.

“Yuk, Caden!” I’d say. “Don’t put your foot in your mouth!” I’d yank it out. Then he’d look at me with mischievous eyes and do it again.

“No, Caden, Shooey! Yukky!” I didn’t know what words to say to emphasize the meaning enough for a toddler to understand.

One time he decided to munch on the ground up gum mixed with black asphalt pebbles that clung to the bottom of his sandal. I guess he thought that might taste cool. “Shoe’s dirty, Caden!” I’d take the sandal out and a few seconds later, the game would begin again.

Like other kids his age, Caden’s just a curious child. It’s a game to him. Hopefully he’ll discover that’s not the most “clean” thing to do. After all, shoes carry germs. And germs can play havoc with our health.

We’re not kids anymore, and as grownups we know better than to stick our foot in our mouths. But unfortunately we do it anyway. Yuk! When that happens to me, I jokingly refer to it as the “gift of blurt.” But it’s not always a laughing matter.

You know what I’m talking about: words you spit out faster than you allow your brain (or the Holy Spirit) to edit them. We may utter an uncensored piece of truth, mixed with a gob of “grit.” We say the wrong thing, the embarassing thing, a hurtful thing, a thoughtless thing. And once we stick our foot in our mouth, the damage has been done. The germs are spread and they carry their “poison” to all who hear. Spiritually, it’s extremely “unhealthy”.

Wholesome, encouraging words give grace to the hearer. It’s time to grow up and stop putting a sooty foot in our mouths. Perhaps it would even be wise to remove our shoes in the presence of God and allow Him to put His words in our mouths instead.

“Do not let any unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment that it will give grace to those who hear” Ephesians 4:29 (NIV).

ENCOURAGING WORDS THAT BRING GRACE TO THE HEARER

AND GREATNESS TO YOUR LIFE OR BUSINESS

1. “You may be right.”
2. “I forgive you.”
3. “I was wrong.”
4. “God loves you, and so do I.”
5. “Thank you so much. I appreciate you.”
6. “It’s my pleasure.” (Chick-fil-a® has built a great business by training their personnel to emphasize these three simple words to every customer.)

What’s your prescription for the gift of “blurt”? What humorous experiences have you had with the gift of “blurt”? What kind of words bring grace to you (and can spell greatness to the lives of others)?

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