Tuesday, February 17, 2009

TIME FOR A SPIRITUAL TUNE-UP? Devotional for February 17, from "Good Seeds"

A fool gets into constant fights. His mouth is his undoing. His own words endanger him…. Those who love to talk will suffer the consequences. Men have died for saying the wrong thing. (Proverbs 18:6,7,21)

James calls the tongue a helpful tool useful in providing direction, like a bit in a horse’s mouth or the rudder of a ship. Yes, our words can be used by God to help others find their way through the storms of life. But almost without warning the tongue can turn into a powerful WMD (weapon of mass destruction). Even the smallest, most innocent sounding comment can spark off a huge forest fire (see James 3:3-6). Solomon reminds us that our mouth can be our undoing. How often have you said something that you later realize you should not have said? And as much as you try to take it back, and seek forgiveness, the damage to your hearers is done. Of course, unkind ears can work in tandem with an untamed tongue, to guarantee the widest possible destruction. Someone says something hurtful to you, but soon comes back with a heartfelt apology. Now the ball is in your court. You have two choices: 1) You could be gracious, offer forgiveness, give a hug, and let it go. You realize it could be, and often has been, the other way around, with you wishing you hadn’t said something, and begging for mercy. Or 2) You could make him suffer while you play out the role of the righteous martyr to the greatest possible degree. It takes two to tango – or is it “tangle”? Either way, whether it’s a fiesta or a fight, two people can get along famously, or bicker furiously. Each has a part to play, in starting the trouble or bringing it to an end. Both Solomon and James emphasize the damage done by talking too much, without having thought it through – and prayed it through – first. But James gives the other side, too, telling us that so much grief could be avoided if we would listen, truly listen, to what others are trying to say. In James 1:19-20, we read, “Let everyone be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger, for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God.” A case in point is a tiff between a husband and wife, which came about through both uncareful speech and uncaring hearing. In a jealous rage, he shouts, “I knew it was true, and now you admit it, that you were looking at that nice guy!” She screams back at him, “I didn’t say nice guy, I said night sky! Can’t I even enjoy God’s creation without getting into trouble with you?” Was this a scenario Solomon was painting with these words: “Any story sounds true until someone tells the other side and sets the record straight” (18:17). Maybe we could all use a spiritual tune-up, on our mouth AND on our ears!

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