http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+34%3A8-18%2C+Exodus+14%3A19-15%3A21%3B+Matthew+22%3A15-22&version=NLT
S (Scripture): Psalm 34:11-14
11 Come, my children, and listen to me,
and I will teach you to fear the Lord.
12 Does anyone want to live a life
that is long and prosperous?
13 Then keep your tongue from speaking evil
and your lips from telling lies!
14 Turn away from evil and do good.
Search for peace, and work to maintain it.
O (Observation): The Psalmist invites the hearers of the psalm to the wisdom of the Lord. Desiring a long life of prosperity begins with not speaking ill of others, turning away from doing evil and working toward peace.
A (Application): This wisdom is repeated throughout Scripture both in the Hebrew and the Greek
Scriptures. The 8th commandment teaches us to not bear false witness against our neighbor and yet our cable news stations are filled with violent rhetoric pinning people against one another. Jesus preached that 'blessed are the peacemakers" yet we constantly attempt to solve problems through violence.
God gave us two ears and one mouth. Maybe this is that we should be listening to God's wisdom before speaking. Lent is a perfect time to remember this wisdom. Seeking the wisdom of God in discipline of reading scripture is one way to accomplish this.
P (Prayer): Lord, speak to us in your wisdom and make us slow to speak.