Hold Your Tongue
“Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the LORD. What man is he that desireth life, and loveth many days, that he may see good? Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile.” (Psalms 34:11-13)
Today’s Morsel: The control of one’s tongue should be an easy thing to do, especially for a Christian, since temperance comes with the Holy Spirit. James informs us: “Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell. For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind: But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be. Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter? Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh.” (James 3:5-12) James is showing us the danger of a tongue out of control. Solomon informs us that death and life are in the power of the tongue. (Proverbs 18:21) Therefore, we must learn when to speak and when to keep silent. Again, James asks: “Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? Let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.” (James 3:13) Wisdom should help you control your speech. As Solomon again says there is: “… a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;” (Ecclesiastes 3:7). Have you learned the time? David informs us that if we want to know how to respect and honor God, then we must learn to avoid harmful speech, such as gossip, insults, cursing, or cruel words, and that we must refuse to deceive, cheat, or use flattery to trick and deceive others.
Sing: Sing the wondrous love of Jesus, sing of His mercy and His grace; In the mansions bright and blessed, He’ll prepare for us a place.
When we all get to heaven, what a day of rejoicing that will be; When we all see Jesus, we will sing and shout the victory.
Thought For Today: “Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few.” (Ecclesiastes 5:2)
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