Friday, March 12, 2010

A Powerful Tongue


It is in the middle of the night, and insomnia has struck me again. I know I will be a walking zombie tomorrow/this morning when I go to work, but I just can't sleep. I've tried warm milk, counting sheep, taking a hot shower, and even reading. Nothing has helped so far. Anyway, at least I have been constructive while I have been awake; I have been reading my Bible. Last year, I wrote a devotion called Spitting Poison. In the devotion, I compared the poison of a snake to the poison we speak with our tongues. Tonight I was reading about the untamable tongue in James chapter 3. I love the way he describes our tongue in verse 4: He says, "Look also at ships, although they are so large and driven by fierce winds, they are turned by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. Even so, the tongue is a little member that boasts great things."


As a teacher, I have learned how much what I say effects my students, good or bad. One little compliment can build up a student just as much as a negative comment can tear them down. Some are more effected than others, but all of them are effected to some degree. I need to be more aware of what I say and how I say it. When I think of some of the negative things I have said in the past, I feel so ashamed and embarrassed. I can always ask that person to forgive me, and they may always do it. But forgiving and forgetting are two different things. It is almost impossible to forget hurtful words that are directed toward us. James goes on to say in verse 8 that only God can tame our tongues. I pray that He will continue to tame mine by teaching me to use it for praising and not for cursing. We have power with our words. How will we choose to use that power?


Proverbs 21:23 says, "He who guards his mouth and his tongue keeps himself from calamity."


Dear Lord, please forgive me for saying hurtful things to others. Teach me to use my tongue for building up instead of for tearing down. In Jesus name, Amen.

5 comments:

  1. I hear what you're saying about forgiving and forgetting. On my blog, I wrote about that with my biological father. The very last thing he ever told me, was that he wished I was dead. I have forgiven him, but I will never, ever forget that he hates me so much that he wishes death upon me, and wishes my children had no mother. Because of that, I choose not to have a relationship whatsoever with the man. I forgive him because I refuse to have him as a millstone around my neck. But I want nothing to do with him.
    Great post!

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  2. Sometimes our tongue is a protective mechanism . Not meaning to hurt, we say things out of hurt. Devastation can really mess with the mind.Only to be so sorry for what we have said hours or even minutes later. Its been done to me and I have also done it. It only rears pain and guilt to the receiver as well as the giver. I have to learn to take my pain and use it in a positive way not a negative way . Its all apart of just letting god handle things instead of trying to handle things ourselves and trusting in him that he will lift what binds us and makes us less than what we really are.In time , God gets us there , we are not perfect..

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  3. Very true. Glad someone chose to talk about this. :) Wonderful post as usual! Have a greatly blessed weekend! :)

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  4. wow, this was right on point with what I've been struggling with. thank you for posting, God bless.

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  5. This is a good prayer for us all. Thank for posting it. And thank you for stopping by my blog. Stop by anytime.

    Blessings!

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