THE HARDEST MUSCLE TO CONTROL

How many of you knew that the hardest muscle to control was the tongue? I do not consider myself as someone with a “big” mouth, but sometimes I let my mouth get my in trouble. Foot in mouth disease is a real disease, the problem is there is no magic pill that you can take to make it go away.

Today’s society seems to reward those with a quick wit. People who have those “come-back” remarks are considered cute and smart. I remember watching one of my favorite movies, You’ve Got Mail, where Meg Ryan was always trying to have a come-back. She was told that when the moment finally comes when she would be able to say what she wanted, she would soon have regrets. I know that I have sometimes spent days thinking about what I should have said. Usually these type remarks are not kind or nice, they are more spiteful. I feel like I let people walk all over me because I don’t say something to put them in “their place.”

Is this the was that the Lord wanted us to be? According to the book of James

³ When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. ⁴ Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. ⁵ Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. ⁶ The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.

To combat all the negative actions that the tongue can do, let’s use the tongue to build up. Words like:

• Thank you
• You’re welcome
• I appreciate you
• I Love You
• I forgive you

The Lord tells us to love one another. He does not say to love them only if they love you back. He does not say to love them only if they have never hurt you. Those people are the ones who challenge us, they are the ones we need to pray for, and yes they are the ones we need to love. I know it sometimes feels like that is asking too much, but that is the command.

I have recently read a devotional on this subject, so I had it in the back of my mind. Sunday at church, our Preacher did his sermon on this, so I was sure I needed to talk about this on today’s blog. THEN, I went to bed a little earlier than Joe, so I picked up a book that I had bought 2 or 3 months ago. It was laying upside down with the page marked were I had stopped reading months ago. I opened the book back up, and the chapter was all about controlling your words. I almost laughed out loud. I thought, okay, okay, I get the message. A unknown author of a Chinese Proverb said,

“Watch your thoughts, for they become words.
Watch your words, for they become actions.
Watch your actions, for they become habits.
Watch your habits, for they become character.
Watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.”

Tame the tongue. Watch your thoughts. Use your words to build up and not to tear down. And most of all, have a blessed Sunday.