The Tongue
The tongue is a messenger, delivering the dictates of the heart. Whether for good or for harm we have the choice to use our tongues to build others up or tear them down.
The tongue is a messenger, delivering the dictates of the heart. Whether for good or for harm we have the choice to use our tongues to build others up or tear them down.
Do you know that feeling when you've said the wrong thing and desperately want to take it back? Our words can be poisonous…and once spoke, they're impossible to erase.
Honestly, do you talk too much? Do you find yourself saying, “I shouldn’t say this…” and then going right ahead and spilling it out? Do you promise to keep information shared in confidence, only to leak it a few days (or even a few hours) later? Do you spend too much time filling the air with words yet saying very little worth hearing?
If God promised to give you anything you asked for…what would you choose? Chuck Swindoll explains why we ought to desire wisdom above anything else.
It is virtually impossible to separate truth from the one who teaches it to us. That's why James begins the third chapter with a warning—don't swell the ranks of teachers!
James encouraged us to prevent verbal fires from burning the forest around us. And yet, he gave no checklist, no tear-out sheet, and no three-step solution. Thankfully, the Bible isn’t silent about what we should and should not say.
How do you know when you’ve grown up? One sure sign is your ability to control your tongue.
As much as I love to have the future figured out and my five-year plans mapped out, in truth, we are all going through life blindfolded. We don’t know what’s around the corner. We have no idea what’s going to happen tomorrow.
We’ve heard it said that we never stand taller than when we kneel before God. But what actually happens when we offer our prayers and petitions to God? Does He change His mind?
There are days when it’s wise for us to stop and look and listen. We scrutinize our lives, examine Scripture, and spend extended time in prayer as we gain a clearer sense of what God is doing in our lives and what He has for us in the future. As the new year rolls around, take some time for reflection and renewal. Start today.