Image by Robin Higgins from Pixabay
Rare is the person who avoids the dreaded Foot-in-Mouth condition. It is triggered when the mouth starts to speak before the brain processes the words. Once it begins, it can worsen quickly, as seen in the following story that is loosely based on a real-life experience:
The staff of a church prepared to update their website. On the agenda was the page for staff photos. The preacher said, ‘I think we can use most of the pictures we already have.’ He then pointed to the receptionist and added, ‘We just need a new photo for you.’
She curiously asked, ‘Why?’ It was at this moment that the preacher’s foot began to bend upward toward his mouth when he said, ‘Well, the one we have of you doesn’t look good.’
Puzzled, she asked, ‘What do you mean, it doesn’t look good?’ The preacher again failed to notice his foot’s upward climb when he replied, ‘I mean, you don’t look good in that photo.’
More puzzled than before, she asked, ‘Are you saying that I don’t look good?’ Moving from bad-to-worse-to-call 911, the preacher said, ‘No, no, you look good, but you, uh, you don’t take a good picture.’ She said, ‘I don’t understand what you’re saying.’
Like a dad on Christmas Eve assembling a bike while ignoring the instructions, the preacher was convinced he could fix it. ‘I’m saying the pictures of you don’t, uh, they just don’t look good.’ Once again, she asked, ‘So, exactly what are you saying about my looks?’
His foot now firmly inserted, he made one more attempt before choking. ‘I’m not talking about your looks. You look good, you really do. I’m saying you don’t look good in a picture.’
With squinted eyes, she leaned forward and asked, ‘If you say I look good and you take a picture of me looking good, why would the picture of me not look good?’
Before he went under for the last time, the preacher’s brilliant assistant threw him a lifeline. She said, ‘Hey, if anyone thinks we should all get new pictures, raise your hand.’ The vote was *unanimous. (*note: the preacher’s hand went up first)
The good news is that Foot-in-Mouth is not fatal, but it can be very embarrassing. Here’s more good news – there’s a remedy. It’s found *drum roll* in the Bible. James, the brother of Jesus, wrote: ‘Be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger.’ Listening carefully before speaking engages the brain to prevent the mouth from triggering a Foot-in-Mouth situation.
Oh, how I wish I had learned this lesson as a young man. I’ve stuck my foot in my mouth more times than I care to think about – a few times I managed to stuff in both feet.
Knowing what to say is important. Knowing when to say it or when NOT to say it is also important. The 5-chapter New Testament book James is an excellent guide for daily living, especially regarding our words. If you’ve not read James in a while, take a few minutes and do so. It will be a blessing! And remember these words of truth: you are greatly loved!
–Jackie Chesnutt, Chaplain and Emotional Support Coach for Myers-Davis (2/23/2026)
