On the Tongue

Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O LORD, you know it altogether. Psalm 139:4

We all have our preferences with regard to food.

Our ten month old granddaughter is being introduced to new, solid foods every day.  Watermelon is a big hit. She devours it. Tuna fish barely hit her tongue and she was pushing it right back out. Ten month olds know nothing of dinner table etiquette.

What is so interesting about this is how discerning her taste buds are at such a young age. Much older people are not as fussy about foods.

The Bible has a lot to say about our tongues. As with food, we can use them well, tasting the good and pushing out the less desirable. However, when it’s words and not food, there can be some serious consequences.

A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. (2) The tongue of the wise commends knowledge, but the mouths of fools pour out folly. (3) The eyes of the LORD are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good. (4) A gentle tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness in it breaks the spirit. Proverbs 15:1-4

“A harsh word stirs up anger.” Recently, in a sermon, we were taught how important the way we respond to trials and tests is before God. James 1 is clear that we are to “count it all joy” when we meet trials of various kinds.

How often are our trials and tests related to other people, often to the people we love or work with every day? There are plenty of stories about harsh words and the mouths of fools that pour out folly. There are fewer stories about those who are seen “counting it all joy” when they face trials.

Taking a close look at the verses from Proverbs 15, we see it adds that the LORD is keeping watch on the evil and the good. It seems to show us that the “soft answer,” “commending knowledge,” and “gentle tongue” are the “good” God watches over. The “harsh words,” “poured out folly,” and “perverseness” are the evil.

A couple of people commented on how convicting that sermon was regarding the words on anger in our responses to trials. It was a man and a woman, a stay at home Mom and a working man. They spoke of being too quick to react, and too harsh with their words.

It’s a start. We have to see our sin to turn from it. That may have been the eye opening part for some. These kinds of responses (harsh words, anger, pouring out folly, and perverse speech) are sin.

As a baby girl’s tongue can eject what she does not like, can we learn to think God’s thoughts after Him? Can we see (or feel) the words coming and stop them before they leave our lips? Imagine the pain that could be avoided and the wisdom we might get to have (and share) if we could just control what comes off of our tongues.