The tongue is the way to communicate to the world and to our friends and have a wonderful time as friendship deepens. It opens the world of happiness and completes the feeling of well being toward others. It is a mental exercise needed to keep our mental health, as we communicate and share our feelings. It expresses the thoughts and the attitude of the mind when necessary to alleviate the burden we carry at the time. It is a useful member of the body, for its many benefits and uses. Small as it is, it performs several functions. However, the tongue is a “weapon of mass destruction.” It constitutes danger to the soul and body. When the tongue is without control, the body suffers. For it causes the body to sin. James describes the tongue as a fire; a world of wickedness set among our members, contaminating and depraving the whole body and setting on fire the wheel of birth (the cycle of man’s nature), being itself ignited by hell; the human tongue can not be tamed by man. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison (James 3:5-8). The tongue has caused mental and physical diseases as a result, and even suicide. The power of words can penetrate deeply into our mind, causing depression insecurity, when we believe those flammable words. The mind of a carnal Christian, insensitive and outside of God’s love and the Holy Spirit’s control is capable of destroying a person with one word. Taking seriously the danger of the tongue, David prayed, Set a guard, O Lord, before my mouth; keep watch at the door of my lips (Ps. 141:3); You have proved my heart; You have visited me in the night; You have tried me and find nothing; I have purposed that my mouth shall not transgress (Ps. 17:3); I said, I will take heed and guard my ways, that I may sin not with my tongue; I will muzzle my mouth as with a bridle with the wicked are before me. (Ps. 39:1).
Tag: The Tongue
Set a Guard, O Lord Before My Lips
The mouth is the avenue from which the heart expresses itself with the help of the mind. As the car is for accident, so the mouth is for pain it causes to one who is the victim of it. The seed of hatred or other negative emotions are many times planted deeply into the soul of man through words that proceed from the mouth. Words are so powerful that can destroy one’s life in a short time. Not only mentally, but also physically, for it is a cause for bitterness and unforgiveness to lodge in the heart. The body, being one connected part, shares in all the results of whatever happens in its emotional as well as the physical members. A child, who constant listens to negative words, pressuring him\her down to conform to the attitude of his parents, will grow insecure and not able to perform to his potential abilities. His future is disturbed with emotional woes. The world around him is a globe empty of love, because the tongue guided his present into his failed future. When the psalmist prayed, Set a guard, O Lord, before my mouth; keep watch at the door of my lips (Ps.141:3), he knew first-hand about the consequences of one’s tongue. He himself had suffered much at the tongue of his enemies.
James had these to say concerning the tongue: For we all have stumble and fall and offend in many things. And if anyone does not offend in speech, he is a fully developed character and a perfect man, able to control his whole body and to curb his entire nature. If we set bits in the horses’ mouths to make them obey us, we can turn their whole bodies about; likewise, look at the ships: though they are so great and are driven by rough winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the impulse of the helmsman determines; even so, the tongue is a little member, and it can boast of great things. See how much wood or how great a forest a tiny spark can set ablaze! And the tongue is a fire, a world of wickedness set among our members, contaminating and depraving the whole body and setting on fire the wheel of birth being itself ignited by hell. For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea animal, can be tamed and has been tamed by human genius. But the human tongue can be tamed by no man. It is a restless (undisciplined irreconcilable) evil, full of deadly poison; with it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse men who were made in God’s likeness! (James 3:2-9). The more that we move the tongue, the more that we sin against God and against one another. However, there is peace in keeping the tongue under the control of the Holy Spirit of the Lord, for His presence within us accomplishes love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness and faithfulness (Gal. 5:22). Where the Spirit of the Lord is present, there will be no room for anything contrary to Him, for the presence of God’s Holy Spirit controls us, filling the mind with good things, not allowing the tongue to express bullies against one another. Paul recommended us to think whatever is true, whatever is worthy of reverence and is honorable and seemly, whatever is lovely and lovable, whatever is kind and winsome and gracious, if there is any virtue and excellence, if there is worthy of praise, think on and weigh and take account of these things (Phil. 4:8). Even in the midst of anger, we are not to take vengeance with words, but let our speech be gracious, seasoned with salt (Col. 4:6a), for we are to represent our heavenly Father’s love. The Patriarch Job said, I purposed in my heart not to sin with my mouth (job 31:30-40).
Light from the Word 