When you’ve got a powerful tool, you need to be most careful how you use it.
I remember a time when we were putting up a fence on a property we lived at. We had rented a power post-hole digger to get the holes dug. This was not one of those smaller models designed to be used by a single person. This beast had four handles, and at the end of one of them was something akin to a motorcycle throttle. There was a strong engine that sat atop the center of the digger and the large auger.
Working that post hole digger was reminiscent of trying to ride one of those mechanical bulls you can see in movies that include a cowboy bar. My friend and I tried to control the digger, but holding it in place was definitely a job for two men. any onlooker would have been forgiven for wondering which of us was in charge of the other, the post-hole digger or the men holding the handles.
Yes, you’ve got to be very careful when you’re dealing with a powerful tool. And that brings us to today’s verse:
WITH OUR TONGUES WE SPEAK BOTH PRAISES AND CURSES.
WE PRAISE OUR LORD AND FATHER, AND WE CURSE PEOPLE WHO WERE CREATED TO BE LIKE GOD,
AND THIS ISN’T RIGHT.
Living with a tongue is much like carrying a concealed weapon. I’ve been in African nations where rifles were in the vehicles next to each seat, and they had not been placed there in hopes of hunting any game. They were there because the situation was volatile, and you never knew when you may have to jump to the defense of someone being attacked or even have the urgent need to defend yourself. In some countries, it’s not uncommon for private citizens to be licensed to carry a handgun. In others, a bladed weapon is much more common.
But every person in every country is “armed” with a tongue; and a more fearsome and powerful tool would be hard to find. You see, death and life are in the power of the tongue. Much like a scalpel, it can be employed for either good or evil. A gentle tongue is a tree of life, it adds fruit into the lives of everyone it touches. Refreshing, strengthening. But perverseness in the tongue – mean words, rash and heartless – that breaks the spirit.
Rash words are like sword thrusts. They cut. They wound. They allow the lifeblood of joy and value to ooze out of you just as surely as if you’d been slashed by a razor.
But the tongue of the wise brings healing. It applies a balm of love, compassion and care. Loving words can “stop the bleeding” and encourage the healing process. This is why the bible instructs us to let no worthless talk come out of our mouths, but only words that are good for building up, words well-fitted to the occasion. The goal is that our words may give grace to those who hear them.
That word “worthless” is an interesting one. Some bible versions translate it as corrupt, or bad, or even unwholesome. But the word actually carries the thought of “putrid” and “rotten.” Here’s a picture for you, it is the same word that the bible uses to describe “bad fish” that is tossed away. Putrid, smelly, rotten fish. YUCK! We’re never to let our words have that kind of an impact.
Some time ago, I had been invited to participate in a conference call discussing the future of our communion. This was when my responsibility was focused on our work in North Africa and the Middle East. I was just listening, and had said nothing when one of the other bishops began to speak very badly about me, my work as a bishop, and even my qualifications to continue serving. I was shocked and hurt, but held my tongue and said nothing. Afterwards, someone told him that I had been on the call and heard everything he said. He invited me and the archbishop under whom I served to a breakfast so he could apologise.
That morning at breakfast, here was how he apologised. He said, “I’m sorry that you heard everything I had to say about you on the call. I wouldn’t have said it if I had known you were listening. But I still believe you’re inept as a bishop and incapable.” Then I got stuck with the bill for breakfast!
I’ve let go of the insult, and actually feel quite sorry for him. He’s managed to destroy every ministry he’s laid his hands upon, requiring others to step in and save them. But it remains an extraordinarily good example of corrupt and unwholesome words.
Our words are never to be putrid. If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s religion is worthless. They are a carrier of death in their words, not life.
Whoever desires to love life and see good days, they ought to keep their tongues from speaking evil and and their lips from speaking hurtful words that bring death.
WITH OUR TONGUES WE SPEAK BOTH PRAISES AND CURSES.
WE PRAISE OUR LORD AND FATHER, AND WE CURSE PEOPLE WHO WERE CREATED TO BE LIKE GOD,
AND THIS ISN’T RIGHT.
The problem, of course, is that our hearts are evil and we often deceive even ourselves. No human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. The tongue is a fire, a world burning with unrighteousness all on its own. It corrupts our whole body. If we don’t find a way to control it, it sets the whole course of one’s life on fire.
Here’s the key – the fire of the tongue is the tool of the enemy who is out to destroy us. The tongue is itself set on fire by hell.
So, since no human being can tame the tongue and left to its own devices it will be set on fire by hell, that leaves us with only ONE PLACE to which we can turn. We need to submit control of our tongues to God, who alone is able to defeat the enemy and use us as tools of life.
Ask God to take control of your speech. Yield to Him and His corrections. Pray that you’ll be informed when you’ve been a verbal arsonist, and started a fire in someone else’s heart so that you can truly apologise.
Our lips were created to glorify God and be tools of life. When we allow our lips to become used to curse and bring pain to people who were created to be like God, it isn’t right.
You can be an arsonist or a fire fighter. Either way there is a spiritual power standing by to add their influence to your words.
Choose carefully and deliberately. Many an arsonist has been burned by the fires they set.
WITH OUR TONGUES WE SPEAK BOTH PRAISES AND CURSES.
WE PRAISE OUR LORD AND FATHER, AND WE CURSE PEOPLE WHO WERE CREATED TO BE LIKE GOD,
AND THIS ISN’T RIGHT.
