Don't Get Hung by Your Tongue

My pastor has been preaching from the book of James the last two Sundays. Yes, from the third chapter of James: Taming the Tongue. On the same day as the last sermon, I went to an online group for Christian women and the following was posted:

"Watch your words diligently. Words have such great power to bless or to wound. When you speak carelessly or negatively, you damage others as well as yourself. This ability to verbalize is an awesome privilege, granted only to those I created in My image. You need help in wielding this mighty power responsibly.

Though the world applauds quick-witted retorts, 
My instructions about communication are quite different: Be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry. Ask My Spirit to help you whenever you speak. I have trained you to pray—“Help me, Holy Spirit”—before answering the phone, and you have seen the benefits of this discipline. Simply apply the same discipline to communicating with people around you. If they are silent, pray before speaking to them. If they are talking, pray before responding. These are split-second prayers, but they put you in touch with My Presence. In this way, your speaking comes under the control of My Spirit. As positive speech patterns replace your negative ones, the increase in your Joy will amaze you.

• Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing. Proverbs 12:18

• My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry. James 1:19

• Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. Ephesians 4:29

Time to Tame My Tongue?

Are you laughing with me? Brother Jimmie's sermon included this marvelous sentence," Be sure your heart is in gear before you let out the clutch on your tongue." 

Being a Christian biker chick, I understand that sentence perfectly. Do you think the Holy Spirit was pointing this out to me? (laughing) Yes, the tongue is such a small part of the body, but it has more power to hurt or encourage than any other part of our body. The Lord wants to help me tame my tongue. 

My friend Pam always said, "Lord, sit on my tongue and help me be quiet." Pam maybe home with the Lord, but her words still live on in my heart and help me every day.

My Husband's Phrase

The title of my article is actually something my husband said at one of our CMA chapter meetings. Because it rhymes, I never forgot it; or maybe I didn't forget it because it was so applicable to myself. I hate sticking the proverbial foot into my mouth, but it happens fairly regularly. After listening and reading about the tongue, I think I am going to keep the clutch on my tongue disengaged until I do a heart check!  Amen?

The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.

Proverbs 18:21