When I was in junior high, I played Thumper Rabbit in the school musical, “Bambi”.  I loved to sing.  My mom made me the absolute best costume.  It included big Thumper Rabbit feet.  I remember vividly singing & dancing to a song “If You Can’t Say Something Nice”.  Thumper Rabbit’s mom was teaching Thumper a very important lesson.

The song went something like this:

“If you can’t say something nice, shhh, say nothing.  Take a bit of good advice, shhh, say nothing.  Think of friendly things to say.  That’s the path to follow.  If you can’t say something nice, close your lips & swallow…”

I hear this song in my head often.  Sometimes more often than others, but it has stuck with me.  Funny how joy & happiness are the feelings that come rushing back with that song.  I don’t think of it as harsh or confining.

In today’s world, sometimes we forget that just because we can, doesn’t necessarily mean we should.

Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones. Proverbs  16:24

Another scripture that keeps coming up in my life is quoted below:

“For You are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness; No evil dwells in You.  The boastful shall not stand before Your eyes; You hate all who do iniquity.  You destroy those who speak falsehood; The Lord abhors the man of bloodshed and deceit.  But as for me, by Your abundant loving kindness I will enter Your house, at Your holy temple I will bow in reverence for You.”  Psalm 5: 4-7