The Words You Speak Matter
By Andy Dooley
Those who guard their lips preserve their lives,
but those who speak rashly will come to ruin.
—PROVERBS 13:3
I enjoy competition and the intensity it breeds. My dad taught me at a young age to keep my mouth shut and not trash talk my opponents. I did my best to follow those rules—until my opponents started trash talking me, and I felt compelled to finish it.
Most of the time, I did my best to let my actions speak. However, there were times when things got intense, and I let myself get caught up in the moment. Thankfully, at those times God reminded me that I was going too far with my speech.
The words you speak matter. That’s why it’s so important to follow Proverbs 13:3 and watch what comes out of your mouth. There is much wisdom in guarding your lips, because you never know how a person may react to your unloving words. Someone could be having a bad day, and your harsh words could truly hurt them or cause them to react unkindly or even harm you.
The wrong words could be a trigger for someone in a dark place and could cost you your career or your life. Unfortunately, this has been the case for many athletes, not to mention people on the streets in everyday situations.
Be aware of what you say and how you say it. If you gossip or tell secrets about others, there’s a good chance your words will come back and ruin you. I’m not saying you can’t have fun joking around with your friends, teammates, or coaches. I’m saying think before you speak. Be aware that your words hold weight.
Your words impact both for the good and the bad. You don’t want to say anything you will regret later because you didn’t take the time to think before you spoke. God wants us to have acceptable, empowering, uplifting speech that edifies others.
You don’t want to wait to incorporate this into your life. You can start now. Learning how to talk to your friends, teammates, siblings, parents, coaches, referees, and opponents will help you be successful in the long run.
Leaders know how to uplift others and not bring them down. If you want to be a leader, a winner, a good teammate, and a role model for others, guard your lips and don’t speak rashly—even if others are trash-talking you.
Dear God,
Please help me to watch what I say and how I say it. I don’t want
to tear people down with my words; I want to build people up. Help
me to lead with words and actions that uplift everyone around me.
Amen.
________
Adapted from Lead with Faith, Play with Purpose, by Andy Dooley. Click here to learn more about his book.
As an athlete, you train your body and mind to be ready for competition. But what about your soul? Lead with Faith, Play with Purpose is your guide to exercising your faith, with Andy Dooley as your trainer.
As a professional athlete turned pastor—and a passionate leader, Seattle Seahawks in-game host, social media influencer, and fitness trainer—Andy Dooley knows all about sports and what it takes to be a Christian on and off the field, court, or wherever you may play. A 100-day devotional written to encourage and guide athletes of any age, level, or sport, Lead with Faith, Play with Purpose is just what you need to integrate your faith into what you love to do—play your sport.
Let Dooley be your spiritual trainer and coach you to:
- Become a better teammate in four simple steps
- Discover effective ways to handle stress before a competition
- Identify how God is working through your sport to make you more like him
- Understand and embrace your calling as a Christian who is also an athlete
Physical training has value for our lives here on earth, yet it holds zero weight for the eternal. If you learn to be tenacious about living a godly life now as you also strive to become a better athlete and teammate, you'll change the trajectory of your life.
Andy Dooley is committed to empowering today’s families as a passionate leader, pastor, and fitness professional. He has been working with young people and families for over eighteen years through sports, fitness, and ministry.
He is a Men’s Health contributor, and he holds multiple fitness certifications with the International Sports Sciences Association. He is the author of Walk in Faith: 5-Minute Devotions for Teen Guys and Building a Family of Faith. He is happily married to Tiffany, and they have four gorgeous children, Hope, Skylee, Andy II, and Ava, and live in Seattle, Washington.
