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This Week’s Devotional Topic
THE TONGUE
Our tongue is small but is extremely powerful. When I became a Christian as a teenager, I enjoyed the fact that my conversation was mostly about God, my relationship with Him and sharing the gospel. While I was growing in my faith, I worked at a gas station and garage. I really enjoyed being a servant to customers who came in for a fill up and I began learning a lot about auto mechanic repairs and service. I learned something else that began to bother me. Several of the staff I worked with had very foul language and over time I realized that I had picked up many of the words they were using. It had become a part of my every day conversation and the Holy Spirit gave me strength to filter that out of my conversations. Unfortunately, I still heard it around me but God gave me victory and self-control. One of the other issues He helped me recognize as I continued on into college was the “rumor mill”. Those of you old enough to remember the “telephone game” remember how a simple phrase would be whispered into the ear of the next person in a line. That person would turn and repeat it to the next and on and on it would go until the last person would say out loud what they had been told. It was amazing and a painful reality to hear how that original comment had been distorted as it went from person to person.
God made us and has given us the power of the tongue. He gives us very clear instructions about its use and His spirit helps us to control it. Here are just a few passages of scripture to help us today.
Job recognized issues with his speech and the words of those around him.
Job 6:24 Teach me, and I will hold my tongue: and cause me to understand wherein I have erred.
Job 27:4 My lips shall not speak wickedness, nor my tongue utter deceit.
Psalms 12:2,3 Neighbors lie to each other, speaking with flattering lips and deceitful hearts. May the LORD cut off their flattering lips and silence their boastful tongues.
Psalms 119:169-172 O LORD, listen to my cry; give me the discerning mind you promised. Listen to my prayer; rescue me as you promised. Let praise flow from my lips, for you have taught me your decrees. Let my tongue sing about your word, for all your commands are right.
The book of Proverbs has a lot to say about what we say….
Proverbs 12:19 The lip of truth shall be established for ever: but a lying tongue is but for a moment.
Proverbs 15:2-4 The tongue of the wise makes knowledge appealing, but the mouth of a fool belches out foolishness. The LORD is watching everywhere, keeping his eye on both the evil and the good. Gentle words are a tree of life; a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit.
Proverbs 16:1 The plans of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from the LORD.
Proverbs 17:20 The crooked heart will not prosper; the lying tongue tumbles into trouble.
James 3:2-10 Indeed, we all make many mistakes. For if we could control our tongues, we would be perfect and could also control ourselves in every other way. We can make a large horse go wherever we want by means of a small bit in its mouth. And a small rudder makes a huge ship turn wherever the pilot chooses to go, even though the winds are strong. In the same way, the tongue is a small thing that makes grand speeches. But a tiny spark can set a great forest on fire. And among all the parts of the body, the tongue is a flame of fire. It is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself. People can tame all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and fish, but no one can tame the tongue. It is restless and evil, full of deadly poison. Sometimes it praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it curses those who have been made in the image of God. And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right!
Colossians 3:17a “And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus…”
Philippians 2:8-11 And being found in fashion as a man, he [Christ] humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Lord help us to guard our tongue, to be sure that everything we say brings Glory to you and edifies those around us. Amen.
This week’s Scripture:
Job 6:24; 27:4; Psalms 12:2,3; 119:169-172; Proverbs 12:19; 15:2-4; 16:1; 17:20; James 3:2-10; Colossians 2:17a and Philippians 2:8-11
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