Watch what you say - part III

 Controlling the tongue - part III

Starting out with James Chapter 3 - about controlling our tongue!!

**********

Dear brothers and sisters, not many of you should become teachers in the church, for we who teach will be judged more strictly.  Indeed, we all make many mistakes. For if we could control our tongues, we would be perfect and could also control ourselves in every other way.

We can make a large horse go wherever we want by means of a small bit in its mouth. And a small rudder makes a huge ship turn wherever the pilot chooses to go, even though the winds are strong. In the same way, the tongue is a small thing that makes grand speeches.

But a tiny spark can set a great forest on fire. And among all the parts of the body, the tongue is a flame of fire. It is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself.

People can tame all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and fish, but no one can tame the tongue. It is restless and evil, full of deadly poison. Sometimes it praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it curses those who have been made in the image of God.  And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right!  Does a spring of water bubble out with both fresh water and bitter water?  Does a fig tree produce olives or a grapevine produce figs? No, and you can’t draw fresh water from a salty spring.

**********

Some thoughts - “a tiny spark can set a forest on fire.  The tongue is a flame of fire!!”  I don’t know about what imagery goes through your brain, but my brain pictures that spark setting the forest on fire.  Or, in this case, an insult out of your mouth is like that spark - except it is a negative spark!!  It is a flame of fire!!  We might want to set the world on fire - but not in a negative way!!!

Our tongues can be used to bless - and to curse.  

Way-too-many years ago, when I first started to graduate work, I was in a house of guys.  Some of them used pretty profane language.  I had rarely sworn.  But, somehow my mind thought “Hey, I’m in graduate school.  I’m going to try to swear.  I swore for a few days. I was doing the dishes and one of the others walked through and I said something peppered with profanity. That guy said “do you eat with that mouth” (which I interpreted as my words were bad, and my mouth should be clean.  I stopped swearing.  Now, I do swear on rare occasions.  Last week I was with a friend who punctuated a strong statement with a profanity.  I used that word later - just to fit in.  Now as I’m writing on controlling the tongue, I realize that I didn’t need to say that!!  

James says “It [the tongue] is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself.” 

Can I control my words?  YES - I can - and you can!!!

I use the term “LOVE WINS” - controlling the tongue is a way of loving.  If I insult a person through my speech, then I am spreading hate.  

I have been thinking of something my mother taught me recently.  “If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all”.  

I am sorry for those that spread hate.  I can’t allow hate in my life!!!  And, at the end of that is controlling my tongue!!

*****

Friends, do watch what you say.  The expression “Turn your brain on before opening your month” seems appropriate!!

LOVE WINS!!

HUGS!!

Karen