Sunday Writing... TAMING THE TONGUE... 7/30/17

Good Morning!

Today's writing is by Jan Andersen entitled, "TAMING THE TONGUE"  She writes about how what we say can totally change the course of what happens next.  What will we choose to say?  Will it be edifying or destructive?  May God guide our words so that they may be helpful instead of harmful.  


Blessings,
Jan and Corinne
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Today's Devotional:

"TAMING THE TONGUE"

by

Jan Andersen

Sometimes something very small can guide something enormous.  Take a bit in the mouth of a horse.  An average horse weighs around 1,000 pounds or more, with draft horses being twice that.  An average bit is a bar of metal about 5 inches long.  Place that bit in a horse's mouth and it can guide the horse different directions and even help stop them from running off when used correctly.  Or look at a rudder on a ship.  It is a flat sheet of material placed at the rear end of the water craft and used to steer it, even though the rudder is many times smaller than the boat or ship it directs.  Then consider the human tongue.  We use it to move food in our mouths but also to help form words.  What we say and how we say it can steer a conversation many different directions.  Our talk can either be edifying or destructive.  We can use our tongues to praise God, but we can also tear each other down with our words.

James 3:2-10 (NIV)  We all stumble in many ways.  Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect, able to keep their whole body in check.  When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal.  Or take ships as an example.  Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go.  Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts.  Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark.  The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body.  It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one's life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.  All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue.  It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.  With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God's likeness.  Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing.  My brothers and sisters, this should not be.  

(I couldn't resist this picture!)

There has been an awful lot of bad language and unwholesome talk in public lately.  Just listen to even our government officials recently, or what you hear on the streets, in public places, and even what we see posted on social media.  It's one thing to disagree with other people, but we need to do that with respect, not by calling them names or accusing them of being stupid.  Now with social media, it seems even easier to be negative toward other people or groups, somehow safer when sitting behind a computer.  It seems as though there has been a significant decline in civility.  What happened to "If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all"?  I must say that as a pastor's wife, I probably don't hear half of what others hear.  Once people know that I'm married to a "man of the cloth," they seem to think they have to clean up their act in front of me.  Some people attend church and "keep it clean" while they are there, but once outside of the church building they let it fly.  But it isn't me or the pastor or other people they have to worry about.  It's God - he is always there to hear what they say no matter where they are.  If they were to realize that, it wouldn't make them feel very comfortable, but hopefully it would make them think twice the next time those words wanted to erupt from their mouths or onto their electronic devices.

But lest we become puffed up with pride, let's look at our own tongues.  Sometimes things slip out that aren't too pretty.  How can we praise God in worship and prayer and then turn around and say some of those things?  Many words or phrases that are considered swearing now have sanitized versions, but really are still taking the Lord's name in vain:  Gosh = God,  Geez = Jesus, and so forth.  What if we just think something bad but don't say it?  In God's eyes that is still unacceptable.  What if we say things that are harmful to someone, even when trying to be helpful?  Our human ways often fail.  If we were to try to win salvation on our own, we would have to be perfect.  In fact Luther explains that the command to not misuse the name of God includes not only to not curse or lie etc but also "call upon him in every trouble, pray, praise, and give thanks."  The same holds true for not to bear false witness - it not only means to not lie about our neighbors but to do the opposite and build them up in every way.  

We all falter at some point... every day.  Not one of us is perfect.  Taming the tongue (and mind) can be one of the hardest things we do. May God help us make our words sweet, especially in case we have to eat them!  Thankfully we have a loving and merciful God who forgives our sins and sent his Son, Jesus Christ, to die in our place and rise again so that we can inherit eternal life through him.  Even when God speaks in his still, small voice, may we hear him clearly and follow his ways.  May our tongue be tamed and our words be helpful instead of harmful.

Dear Father, please tame my tongue that I may speak words that are edifying to others and bring you glory.  Forgive me when my tongue lashes out or does harm.  Thank you for always lovingly speaking to me of your mercy and forgiveness.  May I share that with others.  In Jesus' name,  Amen.

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Prayers are lifted up daily for you 

by the Staff Writers of 

Women's Focus Ministry

  Jan Andersen,  Cathy Friberg,  Sandy Billingham, Beverley Napier, Shelly Keith, Brother Thomas Ukwute, Jody Ward,  Karen Bennett, Carol Steficek, Amie Spruiell, and  Corinne Mustafa

Occasional Contributors

Kathy Bireley,  Lynda Kinnard, Mary M. Wilkins,

Terri Baker, Beverley Napier, Kelly Dobyns

Glenna Williamson, Lisabeth  Lipp, Nandita Bhatnagar.