“With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be.”
James 3:9-10 NIV
Happy Tuesday! It’s a great time to try something new. What will you do? Today, I’m going to be mindful of my tongue.
Have you ever found yourself aggravated and talking about someone? Did you feel like you were venting? Many of us consider this type of chat venting because we are trying to deal with something within ourselves. It’s important to remember that we are all God’s children, even the people that aggravate and make us angry. We never know what someone else has been through or what’s behind their words. Also, I heard a smart woman say that often this type of talk is due to insecurities, worry and fear.
James is saying that as Christians gossip, spreading rumors and anything in general that is bad that comes out of our mouths, pollutes Christianity as a whole. It also reflects what is in our hearts, especially when we are angry or under stress. How can you say that you love your neighbor, if you are tearing them down with your tongue? This is something that we all deal with and need to work on.
There are also people in our lives that have the same problem, sometimes worse. I’m sure you can think of someone who lives for drama and creates it. We can help them, but we must be careful not to get sucked in. These types of people can be very manipulative. Try redirecting their talk to helping the person they are talking about. Be thoughtful and have some ideas ready before the strife, gossip and drama begin. If it’s a close Christian friend you might be able to work out a plan together to remind your friend when he or she falls victim to this behavior.
Satan is alive and knows our weaknesses. He is ready to step in at anytime and lead Christians astray at a moment’s notice.
Minding our tongues is a great way to change the world one day at a time. God bless you.
