The Tongue, How is it Used?

Do you ever shake your head at the things people say?  Do you wonder 'what are they thinking?' or better yet 'did they even think?'  I have, the funny thing is sometimes when I let my mind go that way, I find out what I thought I heard isn't what I really heard.  Wow!  I was wrong!  Remarkable isn't it?


And how much more is that true to the written texts, status updates and messages that we pass back and forth every day.  We often forget that while we are letting our fingers do the 'talking' that we have the same guidelines as the Lord gave us about the tongue.  It is remarkable how behind a computer or telephone we forget that we are accountable for our actions and words.  We act like there is nothing that is off limits.  People say things on the computer that they would never have the courage to say in person.  They feel they have 'the right' to say whatever they want. 


Yet the Bible says a LOT about the tongue. .  Psalms 34:13 " Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile. "   Psalms 39:1 "I said , I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue: I will keep my mouth with a bridle, while the wicked is before me. "  Psalms 120:2 "Deliver my soul, O LORD, from lying lips, and from a deceitful tongue."  Proverbs 15:2 "The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright : but the mouth of fools poureth out foolishness."   Proverbs 18:21   "Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.  "


Those are a few of the Old Testament references and I think they are pretty clear that we are to control our tongue.  But what does that really mean?  As a Christian, what does controlling your tongue mean?  James 1:26 says "If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain."   James 3:5 "Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things . Behold , how great a matter a little fire kindleth ! "


Those are pretty strict standards and truly I've never met anyone that meets them all the time.  And few people that meet them a lot of the time.  So do we give up and say 'I will never achieve that? " or do we strive to do it.  Paul tells us we are to strive, we are to run the race.  Yet Facebook or Twitter seems to urge us to neglect these standards. 


It is also hard to tell when someone is serious with the written word.  Oh, they may throw in a LOL or a smiley face to tip you off.  But often folks are just being humorous and they offend someone who takes them serious.  I was in a Bible study once talking about the fact that we are made in God's image.  We are just like God with the exception He is perfect and we are flawed.  God has a sense of humor, if He didn't I don't believe his creation would.  Now, did you just roll your eyes?  If so, you rolled them for one of two reasons 1) Every Christian you know is solemn, prune faced if you will or 2) you are one of those solemn, prune faces that doesn't have a sense of humor.  Now, how many of you took that serious?  See, sometimes it is hard to tell.


So while we should guard our tongues and be mindful that our words have an impact on others, we should also be aware that every thing that we take offense to was not meant in a harmful way.  Give the benefit of the doubt, don't be the narrow minded one.  Guard your tongue but also keep your heart and mind pure so that you do not look for fault where there is none.  Don't be the self-righteous one that thinks your interpretation is the only right way.