Hold It.

With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness. James 3:9

I returned home after a business trip out-of-town. I had spent the entire day traveling. I had encountered rude service industry workers, irritated fellow travelers and been subjected to the broadcasts of public cell phone users and seat-mates who invaded my space. Before I even took off my overcoat I weighed in on my wife. The house was not clean enough. My things were moved. Errands we had agreed on were undone. Within minutes, what should have been a joyful homecoming was undone by my tongue. As Christians we must battle everyday against the desire to speak without regard to the consequences.

James takes the 3rd chapter of his epistle to outline the destructive power o f the tongue. In the 8th verse he calls it a “restless evil, full of deadly poison” Unfortunately; none of us needs James to tell us the tongue is dangerous. We have all been hurt by something someone has said to us. Likewise we have done harm with our own tongues; sometimes carelessly and other times on purpose. What we say to each other and about each other has a tremendous effect on the ability of the church to function and to be an organization capable of attracting and retaining members. We will not always be able to control our tongues. But if we follow the example of Christ and prayerfully consider all things before we speak, we’ll do a lot less harm.

Pray today to hold your thoughts until you are sure they are not destructive.

Deacon Larry Woodard