Controlling the Tongue...

Learning to control the tongue is an important step in self-control.

The tongue--what a study in contrasts! To the physician it's merely a two-ounce slab of mucous membrane enclosing a complex array of muscles and nerves that enable our bodies to chew, taste, and swallow. How helpful! Equally significant, it is the major organ of communication that enables us to articulate distinct sounds so we can understand each other. How essential!

...But the tongue is as volatile as it is vital. It was Washington Irving who first said, "A sharp tongue is the only edge tool that grows keener with constant use." It was James, the half brother of Jesus, who first warned: The tongue is a fire...a restless evil and full of deadly poison (James 3:6,8).

Verbal cyanide. A lethal, relentless, flaming missile which assaults with hellish power, blistering and destroying at will.

And yet it doesn't look anything like the brutal beast it is. Neatly hidden behind ivory palace gates, its movements are an intriguing study of coordination. It can curl itself either into a cherry whistle or manipulate a lazy, afternoon yawn. With no difficulty it can flick a husk of popcorn form between two jaw teeth or hold a thermometer just so. And it is tricky! It can help you enjoy the flavour of a stick of peppermint and it switches from side to side without once getting nipped. Moments later it can follow the directions of a trumpeter, allowing him to play "Flight of the Bumble Bee" without a single miscue.

But watch out! Let your thumb get smashed with a hammer or your toe get clobbered on a chair and that slippery creature in your mouth will suddenly play the flip side of its nature.

Not only is the tongue untamed, it's untamable! Meaning what? As long as you live it will never gain control of itself. It defies being tamed. Incredible! We can tame Flipper and Trigger and Shamu and Lassie...but the tongue? Impossible to train!

It takes a tight, conscious muzzle on the muscle in your mouth. Harnessing such a wily creature requires a determined mindset...It's a project we've put off long enough.

The above taken from Growing Old in the Seasons of Life by Charles Swindoll



Have words ever popped out of your mouth before you thought about them? Think before you respond. Never just blurt out an answer. Don't insult someone or carelessly criticize. Never be sarcastic, and be careful how you tease.

The Tongue and Self-control -
Psalm 34:13 - keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking lies.

Proverbs 10:19 - and your lips from speaking lies.

Proverbs 21:23 - He who guards his mouth and his tongue keeps himself from calamity.

Galatians 5:22-23 - But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

James 1:26 - If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless.

James 3:5-10 - 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. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.
All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, 8but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.
With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be.

2 Peter 1:5-7 - For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love.



Taken from side panel in Bible. Written by Max Lucado.