Sticks and Stones - Part 2

     Well, I wonder if any of us have come up with some less than pleasant memories concerning our tongues?  If we really thought about it, it's a silly question.  We all will have numerous examples of using that part of our body as a weapon.  A deadly weapon.
     There are a lot of scriptures about the tongue, but I'd like to start here with a quote from Mark Twain.  If you search for quotes by him, you will find many of the sayings we use regularly are from this well-known writer.  Some of them are pretty striking.....this one is funny because it's so true:
    "Better to remain  silent and be thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt."
     Hmmmmm.  Bet I've left some people pretty confident and doubt free in my time!
      Scripture references abound, and I am going to just include a few of them here.  Some are from NIV and some are from "The Message".  I didn't think much about even looking at "The Message" until my pastor referred to it a few times.  The passages he read were just so clear and meaningful, that I asked for a copy for Christmas.  My mom got one for me, and I really like it.  If you haven't read from it, it's a nice reference.  Anyway....... I am going to write these scriptures here so you don't have to look them up.  Take your time and think about each one before you move to the next.
     "Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing."- Proverbs 12:18(NIV)
      ".......I will watch my ways and keep my tongue from sin; I will put a muzzle on my mouth as long as the wicked are in my presence."  Psalms 39:1(NIV)
      "An anxious heart weighs a man down, but a kind word cheers him up."  PRoverbs 12:25 (NIV)
      "The right word at the right time is like a custom-made piece of jewelry." Proverbs 25:11 (MSG)
      "Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking lies." Psalms 34:13 (NIV)
      "The speech of a good person is worth waiting for, the blabber of the wicked is worthless." Proverbs 10:20 (MSG)
      "It only takes a spark, remember, to set off a forest fire.  A careless or wrongly placed word out of your mouth can do that.  By our speech we can ruin the world, turn harmony into chaos, throw mud on a reputation, send the whole world up in smoke and go up in smoke with it, smoke right from the pit of hell.  This is scary.  You can tame a tiger, but you can't tame a tongue- it's never been done.  The tongue runs wild, a wanton killer.  With our tongues we bless God our Father, with the same tongues we curse the very men and women he made in his image.  Curses and blessings come out of the same mouth." James 3:5-10 (MSG)

      Start a fire, ruin the world, turn harmony into chaos, evil, piercing like a sword, wanton killer.  Those words are really strong, aren't they?  When words come out of my mouth, I have never thought about what they could do in those terms.  I've started many fires, ruined my surroundings, pierced like a sword. I've killed spirits.  Thank goodness I serve a Savior who is merciful, forgiving, and welcomes me back every time I fail. 
     "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me."  REALLY? Scripture AND our observations tell us so differently!  What would the world be like if we followed Philippians 4:8:
       " Finally,brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable.....if anything is excellent or praiseworthy....think on these things." (NIV)
      Think and TALK on these things.   Put on the muzzle suggested in Psalms.  Don't throw stones.
Words CAN hurt you.  And the worst thing about it is, once spoken you can never really take them back.  Not ever.

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