WHAT COMES OUT OF YOUR MOUTH WHEN YOU SPEAK?

BIBLE PASSAGE:
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.
(James 3:5)

MEDITATION:
Many people spend a lot of time exercising and bodybuilding. There
is certainly nothing wrong with trying to improve one’s health. There
is also nothing wrong with trying to get stronger. However, no matter
how strong a person might be, the part of the body that can do the most
damage is the tongue.

Unfortunately, there are some who exercise this part of the body way
too often, and when they do, they cause a lot of damage in the lives of
others. Some are so busy concentrating on what they plan to say next,
that they seldom listen or comprehend what the other person is saying.

That may be one of the reasons James gave us good advice about listening.
    My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this:
    Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak
    and slow to become angry.
    (James 1:19)
This may be the reason God gave us two ears and only one mouth.

Think about how much information we could miss out on, because
we failed to listen intently to what someone else was saying. If two
people are both more concerned with what they plan to say than
listening to the other person, then they aren’t really having a good
conversation, are they? They are not only being rude to each other,
but they both may have a little too much egotism.

One of the greatest things a believer can do is listen (really listen) to
what others have to say. There will be times when another person
needs to ‘talk things out’ as a type of therapy for themselves. During
those times, the very best we can offer them is – listen more and talk
less.

One of the most damaging things a believer can do is say unkind things
about other people (gossip). James implies that just a few words can start
a firestorm of damage in the lives of others. Some cleverly conceal their
gossip by starting it with something like,
    “We need to pray for (fill in the blank) because…..”
and then they launch into gossiping about every detail about the person
to be prayed for.

Some are driven by a desire to be the first with the latest information
(good or bad) about others, and they often fail to have a Godly ‘filter’
on what they should say, and what they should not say. Why? Because
they often want to impress others with how much they know.

There is a story of a woman in England who came to her vicar with
a troubled conscience. The vicar knew her to be a habitual gossip;
she had maligned nearly everyone in the village and wanted to know
how to undo her actions, so she asked the vicar,
    “How can I make amends?”

The vicar said,
    “If you want to make peace with your conscience, take a bag of goose
      feathers and drop one on the porch of each person you slandered.”
When she had done so, she came back to the vicar and said,
    “Is that all?”
The wise old minister said,
    “No, you must go now and gather up
     every feather and bring them all back to me.”

After a long time the woman returned without a single feather
and said,
    “The wind has blown them all away.”
The vicar replied,
    “My good woman, so it is with gossip. Unkind words are
       easily dropped, but we can never take them back again.”

ACTION:
Questions to ask ourselves:
    – How good do I sincerely listen to others? Am I sensitive to
       what they are saying and ask questions, or am I focused
       on what I want to say and anxious for them to finish what
       they are saying so I can start talking?
    – Do I interrupt others often when they are speaking?
    – How well do I listen when others are speaking?
    – If someone is speaking to me and another person walks up
       and starts speaking to me, what do I do? Am I rude to the
       person who was already speaking by listening to the other person,
       or do I tell the one who rudely interrupted, “Wait just a second”?
    – Have I ever been guilty of walking away while someone is
       speaking directly to me?
    – Am I trying to become more like the one I am following?
       What did Jesus do? He listened, right?
    – Is my language the same as what I would expect to hear from Jesus?
       Would Jesus use profanity or tell vulgar jokes?
    – Do I have a habit of discussing the faults of others?
    – Am I the type of person who focuses on the good qualities in others?
    – Would others refer to me as an encourager or a discourager?

Pray,
“Heavenly Father, thank You for being my greatest encourager.
Teach me to be an encourager to others. Forgive me for any
damaging things I have said about other people. Help me to
be aware of how I can hurt others when I fail to control my
tongue. Remind me of how my testimony of faith in You, can
suffer greatly whenever I use unkind words, profanity, or off
color remarks. Show me how to speak to, and about others with
kindness, so they will see Your Spirit is living in me. Remind me
to be a sensitive, caring and patient listener.”

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