Here's another quick lesson from a commercial...
Have you ever known anyone that you wish could lose their mouth, like Mrs. Potato Head? (By the way, my first thought was... if she had an extra pair of evil eyes, then why didn't she have an extra mouth in her purse as well?)
I think we all know those people who haven't learned that there's power in words (to encourage and build up or to tear down and destroy). Once you let that little tongue get away from you, you can't undo the damage that it has done. It's like squeezing all the glue out of a bottle and then trying to put the glue back in. Impossible! It will get everywhere and stick to things you never intended it to.
The Word says we need to keep a tight reign on our mouths because even the largest of ships is steered by the tiny rudder. it's the same way with our lives. Our little rudder has a way of setting a course for us and our lives and can quickly veer us off course if we are not careful.
What's interesting about the tongue is that "out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks", according to the Bible. If what's in your heart is bound to come out, we can use this as a real temperature gauge of what's going on in a person's spiritual life. Needless to say, sometimes what is revealed is shocking and unexpected... and that goes for good or bad!
We have to ask ourselves that when we speak ill, is there something greater going on inside that is fueling the fire? Perhaps it's not a mouth problem at all... it's a heart problem! Thankfully, we know Jesus Christ, and He specializes in heart surgery!
Listen to what the Word says about the tongue - "This is scary: You can tame a tiger, but you can't tame a tongue—it's never been done. The tongue runs wild, a wanton killer. With our tongues we bless God our Father; with the same tongues we curse the very men and women he made in his image. Curses and blessings out of the same mouth! My friends, this can't go on. " James 3:7
"Watch your words and save your tongue, you'll save yourself a lot of grief." Proverbs 21:23
I think we all know those people who haven't learned that there's power in words (to encourage and build up or to tear down and destroy). Once you let that little tongue get away from you, you can't undo the damage that it has done. It's like squeezing all the glue out of a bottle and then trying to put the glue back in. Impossible! It will get everywhere and stick to things you never intended it to.
The Word says we need to keep a tight reign on our mouths because even the largest of ships is steered by the tiny rudder. it's the same way with our lives. Our little rudder has a way of setting a course for us and our lives and can quickly veer us off course if we are not careful.
What's interesting about the tongue is that "out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks", according to the Bible. If what's in your heart is bound to come out, we can use this as a real temperature gauge of what's going on in a person's spiritual life. Needless to say, sometimes what is revealed is shocking and unexpected... and that goes for good or bad!
We have to ask ourselves that when we speak ill, is there something greater going on inside that is fueling the fire? Perhaps it's not a mouth problem at all... it's a heart problem! Thankfully, we know Jesus Christ, and He specializes in heart surgery!
Listen to what the Word says about the tongue - "This is scary: You can tame a tiger, but you can't tame a tongue—it's never been done. The tongue runs wild, a wanton killer. With our tongues we bless God our Father; with the same tongues we curse the very men and women he made in his image. Curses and blessings out of the same mouth! My friends, this can't go on. " James 3:7
"Watch your words and save your tongue, you'll save yourself a lot of grief." Proverbs 21:23
The old adage is true also, if you don't have anything good to say, don't say anything at all.
We've all fallen short in this area at one time or another, but we need to train ourselves in righteousness! This goes from the leaders we know (such as Pastors or their wives) clear down to children!
So how should we be? Word says in 1 Peter 3:8, "Summing up: Be agreeable, be sympathetic, be loving, be compassionate, be humble. That goes for all of you, no exceptions. No retaliation. No sharp-tongued sarcasm. Instead, bless—that's your job, to bless. You'll be a blessing and also get a blessing. Whoever wants to embrace life and see the day fill up with good, Here's what you do: Say nothing evil or hurtful; Snub evil and cultivate good; run after peace for all you're worth. God looks on all this with approval, listening and responding well to what He's asked; But He turns his back on those who do evil things."
Make a goal to speak life words today to your co-workers, family, friends... and praise God with your mouth! One of my favorite Bible verses about this subject is found in Psalm 19:14. Let's all pray this daily:
"May the words of my mouth
and the meditation of my heart
be pleasing in your sight, O LORD,
my Rock and my Redeemer."
and the meditation of my heart
be pleasing in your sight, O LORD,
my Rock and my Redeemer."
