Have you ever said something when you were mad that you really wished you could take back? Maybe you yelled at your mom or dad, or you said something mean to your brother or sister. Words are powerful—once they come out of your mouth, you can’t stuff them back in!

King Solomon gives us some really wise advice: Be careful with your words! Don’t say things too quickly, especially when you’re talking to God. Why? Because God is in heaven and He sees the big picture of everything, while we’re on earth and can only see what’s right in front of us.

Imagine standing in the middle of a big maze versus looking at it from way up high in a helicopter. From the ground, you can only see a few paths ahead. But from the helicopter, you can see the entire maze and the way out! That’s kind of like the difference between us and God. We see just a little bit, but God sees everything!

So when something happens that we don’t understand, we shouldn’t be quick to blame God or to make big promises to God that we might not keep. Instead, we should take a breath, pray, and trust that God knows what He’s doing.

The Bible says we should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry (James 1:19). That means: Listen first, think before you talk, and don’t get angry quickly!

Think About It: Do you ever say things too fast without thinking? Maybe when you’re mad or excited? This week try the “count to five” rule. Before you say something (especially when you’re upset), count to five in your head first. This gives you time to think: “Is what I’m about to say true? Is it kind? Is it necessary?” You might be surprised how many times you decide NOT to say something after you count to five!