tongue

DENIZEN OF THE DEEP

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Peter reminds us in I Peter 3:10 that we can measure our maturity by how we use our mouth! He writes: “For, ‘Whoever would love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from deceitful speech.”

As someone has rightly observed: Mercy is at the tip of the tongue. The way to “see good days” and live in peace in our day-to-day relationships is to watch our words; to muzzle our mouth; to control our reactions. How many times have we said things that only made matters worse; words we wished we could take back?

In a lodge near a lake, a huge fish is mounted on a wall. Next to this magnificent “denizen of the deep” is a little inscription: “If I’d have kept my mouth shut I wouldn’t be up here!”

So, what characterizes our speech? Caring, apt words — or caustic, critical ones? Toxic waste is not nearly as serious as toxic words. Second-guessing people; jumping to conclusions; criticizing them behind their back — these are the types of things Peter would classify as evil and deceitful speech. David’s request of the Lord in Psalm 141:3 is apropos: “Set a guard over my mouth, O LORD; keep watch over the door of my mouth.”

WORDS INFLUENCE LIVES

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When I was about 10 years old, I asked my dad, “How do ministers know what to say? Where do they get their sermons?”

Dad simply responded with, “God tells them what to say.”

Wow, did that ever hit me! The seed was permanently planted: God speaks to people! What kid, what adult wouldn’t want to hear from God? I’ve never forgotten that!

Another example of the power of words took place about six years later, when I was in high school. I accidentally overheard a relative talking about me. For a lot of kids, being a teenager in high school is tough because at that age we’re super-sensitive to peer acceptance, how we’re perceived by others, etc. Well, I overheard this relative say, of me:

“Oh, he’s such a scatterbrain!”

That hurt — and I remember the comment, who said it, and where it was said to this day!

Proverbs 18:21 says, “The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.” To influence someone’s life, someone’s eternity, is very significant. Let us be mindful of the impact we may be having — or will have — on those God brings into our life!