The killer of the tongue

Good morning all-

I'm praying this is a wonderful morning wherever you are.  Today's title is not what most of us want to admit or even talk about.  It's an age old problem and the God warned us from it.  There is power in the tongue and when people are hurt their tongues wag. 

The tongue can do many things.  It can praise you, it can encourage you, it can fill you with joy but it also can destroy.  We must watch our tongues.  Beyond a bullet or a bomb, there is no greater threat to human life.  The tongue has turned people from Christ, who is the only living water.  It has crushed the weary and penetrated the heart through careless bullying.   It has caused marriages to fail, children to turn away and countless people from coming to church.  So why do we continue on a path of destruction?

If at this point your checking out, don't.  This is a valuable lesson all of us could use.  I can tell you that I wish my tongue had been very quiet over the last months and days.  Actually, I did stay quiet for a long time because it was the best for all.

However, like everyone else, I am a girl and I have said things I shouldn't.  The older I get the more I am learning not to do that and to ask God to thwart my tongue.  I have used my tongue in anger and it never sounds very edifying.  The tongue was meant for communication, uplifting encouragement along with praise and worship.  Instead, it is used to destroy.

I have learned that it's better to stop and think before you act.  I have also learned that people hear what they want and that's the cause of so many arguments and hurt feelings. At the same time, I now believe the tongue has the capability to encourage and to lift people up when they're down.  I know that's hard for all of you to believe but its true.  We are One with God and if we are telling him all our woes do we really need to tell others?  That's a question for another day.  My point today is to say, be careful with lying, berating or just being mean with your tongue.  You never know who is listening or your ability to crush someone when you actually should be lifting them up.  It may also come back to haunt you!

Be well my sisters and watch that tongue.  Ask God to tie it up so that it won't say things its not supposed to say.  Have a great day and know that God is near!

Proverbs 15:4 (NIV)
The soothing tongue is a tree of life, but a perverse tongue crushes the spirit

Until tomorrow...