Thimble Thoughts: The Girl In The Mirror Part II

I know I said I wasn't going to blog because I couldn't think of anything to blog about, but here's a post anyway. I don't have to think about this one. Just share my notes. If you remember, I posted the first part of a series our Youth Pastor's wife, Mrs. Liz, is doing with the girls in the youth group. Last week, she did Part II and I completely forgot to blog it. I found my notes a few minutes ago and decided to blog it tonight. If you missed Part I, you can find it in my sidebar under The Girl In The Mirror. This series is on the Problematic Girl vs the Praiseworthy Girl and is excellent to share with your daughters. As Pam, from Midnight Musings, said in the comments from Part I, you might like to print it off for your youth Pastor and his wife to do with your teen girls too.

Proverbs 31:10-31

Part II-Problematic Girl

and her Speech

The problematic girl found in Proverbs 29:11 and 30:32

Prov 29:11 "A fool uttereth all his mind, but a wise man keepeth it in till afterwards."

Prov 30:32 "If thou hast done foolishly in lifting up thyself or if thou hast thought evil lay thine hand upon thy mouth."

A. Speech comes from the heart.

1. Pride is a main cause for problematic speech

a. flattery

b. disrespectful to authorities ~ You should not disrespect your parents, your teachers, or ANYONE that is in authority over you.

2. God's feelings toward pride

a. abomination

B. Types of problematic speech

1. Perverse-filthy and dirty Prov 10:32 "The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable: but the mouth of the wicked speaketh frowardness." Prov 15:4 "A wholesome tongue is a tree of life but perverseness therein is a breach in the spirit."

2. Deceitfulness - joking around Prov 26:19 "So is the man that deceiveth his neighbor and saith, Am I not in sport?"

3. Contentions - always arguing and causing fights - Prov 27:15 "A continual dropping in a very rainy day and a contentious woman are alike."

4. Loud and Stubborn fighting - Proverbs 7:11 "She is loud and stubborn, her feet abideth not in her house." Prov 21:9 "It is better to dwell in a corner of the housetop, than with a brawling woman in a wide house."

5. Hastiness in speaking, in other words, she speaks and THEN thinks. Prov 10:19 "In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise." Prov 29:20 "Seest thou a man that is hasty in his words? there is more hope of a fool than of him."

C. Recipe for Change

1. Ephesians 4:29-32 "Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice. And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you." Put off corrupt communication-bitterness, wrath, and anger

2. Put on an edifying tongue and a forgiving tongue - lift each other up!

II The Praiseworthy Girl

and her Speech

James 3:1-18 " My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation. For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body. Behold, we put bits in the horses' mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body. Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth. Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell. For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind: But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be. Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter? Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh. Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom. But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace."

Psalm 19:14 "Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in thy sight oh Lord my strength and my redeemer."

A. Speech comes from the heart

1. Wisdom and the fear of God is the main factor in a praiseworthy speech.

2. Whatever is inside of you will eventually come out.

B. Types of a praiseworthy speech - James 3:17-18

1. Peaceable - not stirring up strife - Be an easy person to get along with.

2. Gentle - not threatening - Be loving with your communication

3. Be approachable

4. Full of mercy - not giving what is deserved

5. Show the fruits of the Spirit

6. Without Partiality - not taking just one side of the story. - Don't get involved in other's arguments.

7. Without hypocrisy - telling the whole truth - Little white lies are STILL lies!