WATCH YOUR MOUTH!

WATCH YOUR MOUTH!

I am aware that today’s devotional topic might sound a bit brash, perhaps even crude.  Nevertheless, so many of us fail to recognize the immense power and impact of spoken words.  The prolific author, Og Mandino, poses a pivotal question: “Why is it that so many of us go out of our own way to offend others with criticism and offensive judgments that so often come back to haunt us?  Why do we allow our big mouths to dig ruts in our path so deep that our forward progress is finally nil?” 

One of my favorite books, read early in life, is “How to Win Friends and Influence People” by Dale Carnegie. “Criticism is futile,” Carnegie contends, “because it puts a man on the defensive, and usually makes him strive to justify himself.  Criticism is dangerous, because it wounds a man’s precious pride, hurts his sense of importance, and arouses resentment.”  He adds an astute observation: “When dealing with people, let us remember we are not dealing with creatures of logic.  We are dealing with creatures of emotion, creatures bristling with prejudices and motivated by pride and vanity.  Criticism is a spark – a spark that is liable to cause an explosion in the powder magazine of pride.”  Hmm…something to seriously consider!

The ancient Greek scholar, Pythagoras, wrote “A wound from a tongue is worse than a wound from a sword, for the latter affects only the body, the former affects the spirit.”  More succinctly, one could simply say, “Watch your mouth!” 

James, the brother of Jesus, had a special assignment to highlight the impact of believers’ speech.  His teachings on the subject are of vital importance; so they are reprinted (in part) below.

James 3:5-10

Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things.  See how great a forest a little fire kindles!  And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell.  For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind.  But no man can tame the tongue.  It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.  With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God.  Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing.  My brethren, these things ought not to be so. 

James’ doctrine-of-speech may be summarized as follows: “If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless.” (James 1:26) 

Words have significant spiritual capability.  They can give or take life, to and from yourself, but also to and from others.  This makes logical sense in light of the nature of The One who “created all things.” (Ephesians 3:9 – Colossians 1:16 – Revelation 4:11)  The very essence of Christ, the way we may most accurately describe His power, dominion and authority is simply this: JESUS CHRIST IS THE LIVING WORD.  Therefore, it stands to reason that OUR WORDS are of special significance and import to THE LIVING WORD, The Holy One who “upholds all things by the word of His power.” (Hebrews 1:3)  Think carefully and prayerfully about that. 

My friend, we must always employ wisdom in every avenue of communication.  Why is this important?  Because our words are “SALT.”  As such, they have sufficient capacity to SEASON [INFLUENCE] our families, our friends, even our enemies, certainly ourselves.  To wit, scriptures mandate that our “speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that [we] may know how [we] ought to answer every man.” (Colossians 4:6) 

At the risk of sounding somewhat rude, I must repeat: “WATCH YOUR MOUTH!”  Let us activate the governing thermostat of God’s Spirit, who constantly modifies our attitudes, actions and speech.

Sisters and brothers, be continually blessed, and please (above all else) MAKE SURE YOU ARE READY TO MEET OUR SOON COMING KING.  Maranatha!