tongue

Reading the Word this morning, my devotion was focused on Ephesians 5 and devotion to your spouse. Do you remember the vows you spoke to your wife? Have you reviewed them lately and determined through introspection whether you are keeping those vows? Just a quick thought and I knew I have failed in at least one area. Put the emphasis on at least. That area is my words. How do I speak to my wife? Am I pleasant at all times? Do I speak well of her to others? Do I stand by her? Wow...tough questions for a Saturday. :)

But, thinking in this area about how I talk to her and how I speak of her brought me to James 3. James talks about taming the tongue and how we can tame so many things, but not the tongue. How we can praise the Lord and yet curse men who are created in God's image with the same mouth. Ouch. Read that passage here.

I also want to share a couple of things that are in the Bibles I use. Typically I use my Men's Study Bible when I am studying the Word...it is a Promise Keepers Bible that I purchased years ago and really enjoy it. But here is an excerpt from a commentary on that part of scripture:

In this short passage, James bluntly addresses the issue of our
speech. Have you ever realized what a potentially wicked thing that little
muscle in your mouth is?
Make no mistake about it - the words you speak are powerful beyond
imagination. They expand or limit your friendships. They can make or
break your career opportunities. If you're married, they'll determine
the quality of your marriage. If you're a father, they'll shape your
children. (Emphasis mine.)
A godly man recognizes the tongue's power to build up or to tear
down. But the tongue only shapes the words that originate in our hearts
and minds. Hearts that are controlled by the Spirit's power will produce
speech that builds others up instead of tearing them down. In other words,
if we want to control our tongues, we must ask God to help us control our
hearts.

Good stuff there. In another commentary on this portion of scripture it talks about how an uncontrolled tongue can cause serious damage. It can divide people and pit them against each other...I have seen this recently. It has even affected how I see others because of what I have heard about them or heard that they have said something to others. The thing is...once something is said or heard, it cannot be taken back. Nicole at one point as a teacher has mentioned this to her students in an exercise where they squeeze out tooth paste out of a tube and then tell them to put it back in. You can't. Once words are spoken, they cannot be taken back. You can ask forgiveness, but the damage already happened and scars could remain even though there may be forgiveness.

Something to think about there. I need to control my mouth...watch how I talk to my wife and kids...and I can only do that with God's help...with my tongue and my heart. Hopefully this encourages someone else as well. Let's fight to get our hearts and tongues in the proper place.

-R