Tongue Trouble

Have you ever said something and the minute it came out of your mouth, you wished you could reel it back in?  Back the video-tape up and tape over it?  Or, maybe you could just become invisible and sort of slink away…

Many of us work out to stay in shape, but the muscle that causes us the most trouble is the tongue.  How can that be?  It’s so small!  A small spark causes a great forest to burn to the ground and thus, James compares our tongue to that spark (James 3:5).  Then, he goes on to say in v. 8:  “But no one can tame the tongue.”

We saw previously that we have two ears and one mouth for a reason:   that we might LISTEN more than we speak – and that we never learn anything when we’re talking.  Have you ever heard what your voice sounds like?  Though some people have very pleasing voices, I have never cared for the sound of my own.  Maybe that’s a clue to let my “words be few”.     

How can our tongues cause such trouble both for us and for those in our company?  Many things come to mind (you may be able to add others):

Judgmentalism – making evaluations about others.    (“Judgment belongs to God”  Deuteronomy 1:17)

Criticism – of people, circumstances, society.   (“The words of the wicked lie in wait for blood, but the mouth of the upright will deliver them.”  Proverbs 12:6)

Gossiping – sharing someone’s secret or a tidbit picked up through a prayer request.  (“He who goes about as a talebearer reveals secrets, but he who is trustworthy conceals a matter.”   Proverbs 11:13)

Complaining – about anything and everything.  (“Do everything without complaining.”  Philippians 2:14)

It turns out, though, that it isn’t just that we exercise our tongues too much;  the issue goes much deeper than that.  Jesus said, “The things that proceed out of the mouth come from the heart.”   (Matthew 15:18)  That pretty well nails it, doesn’t it?  Not much wriggle room there… We’re told in Proverbs to “watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life.”  (4:23).  The only way to have any sense of certainty of the condition of our hearts is to ask the Lord.  “Create in me a clean heart, O Lord, and renew a right spirit within me.”  (Psalm 51:10).  This, of course, is not a one-time thing.  It’s a continual process.

Can our tongue trouble be helped?  Only if our hearts are right.  And, that’s not something we can do on our own.  But, being aware of the problem is definitely a start.

“Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth.  Keep watch over the door of my lips.”  (Psalm 141:3)

“Do not let any unwholesome talk proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification…”  (Ephesians 4:29)