The Tongue
James 3:2-12
2 For we all stumble in many ways; if someone does not stumble in what he says, he is a mature man who can bridle his whole body.
3 If we put a bit into a horse's mouth to make it obey us, we control its whole body as well.
4 And think of a ship--although it is huge and is driven by strong winds, yet the pilot can steer it wherever he wants with just a small rudder.
5 So too the tongue is a tiny part of the body, yet it boasts great things. See how a little fire sets a whole forest ablaze!
6 Yes, the tongue is a fire, a world of wickedness. The tongue is so placed in our body that it defiles every part of it, setting ablaze the whole of our life; and it is set on fire by Gey-Hinnom itself.
7 For people have tamed and continue to tame all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures;
8 but the tongue no one can tame--it is an unstable and evil thing, full of death-dealing poison!
9 With it we bless Adonai, the Father; and with it we curse people, who were made in the image of God.
10 Out of the same mouth come blessing and cursing! Brothers, it isn't right for things to be this way.
11 A spring doesn't send both fresh and bitter water from the same opening, does it?
12 Can a fig tree yield olives, my brothers? or a grapevine, figs? Neither does salt water produce fresh.
(The Jewish New Testament, 1996.)
Look for the wisdom in the following humorous statements.
A hot headed woman told John Wesley, “my talent is to speak my mind.” He replied, “Woman, God wouldn't mind a bit if you buried that talent.”
A tribute was once paid to a man who was not only fluent in seven languages but knew how to be silent in all 7.
Saving face is often accomplished by keeping the lower half of it shut.
There is nothing wrong with having nothing to say unless you insist on saying it.
It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt.
The trouble with people who talk too fast is they often say something they haven't thought of yet.
When your mind goes blank, remember to turn off the sound.
Restraint of the tongue:
Proverbs 17:27 "A man of knowledge uses words with restraint, and a man of understanding is even-tempered."
People wonder why they are not receiving blessings from God and then immediately go and gossip about neighbor, enemy, etc. (Applies to church growth also.)
Proverbs 21:23 "He who guards his mouth and his tongue keeps himself from calamity."
Psalms 15:1,3 "LORD, who may dwell in your sanctuary? Who may live on your holy hill? ... "and has no slander on his tongue, who does his neighbor no wrong and casts no slur on his fellowman,"
SLANDER
Nothing makes a long story short like the arrival of the person you happen to be talking about.
For too many people this statement is not just a silly joke but rather a truth.
The wrong nature of slander:
Slander is designed to hurt a person.
Proverbs 18:8 "The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to a man's inmost parts."
Proverbs 16:28 "A perverse man stirs up dissension, and a gossip separates close friends."
Proverbs 17:9 "He who covers over an offense promotes love, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends."
Proverbs 26:20 "Without wood a fire goes out; without gossip a quarrel dies down ."
The Bible states Slander must be stopped:
Ephesians 4:31 "Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice."
Titus 3:1-2 "Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, {2} to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and to show true humility toward all men."
If someone is wrong in their actions then God will deal with them, you do not have to through talking about them.
Those who slander must give an account:
Matthew 12:36-37 "But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. {37} For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.""
The positive benefits of a positive tongue.
James 1:26 "If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless."
1 Peter 3:10 "For, "Whoever would love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from deceitful speech."
|