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“A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger” (Proverbs 15:1).
When angry men from another tribe confronted Gideon about why he hadn’t waited for them for judgment on enemy leaders, he replied, “What have I accomplished compared to you?” In minimizing his own role and exalting theirs, Gideon avoided what could have been a terrible confrontation. So much can affect our words. Perhaps the tone of a stressed or bad day can leech through our words? Perhaps the state of our heart can overflow from our lips? Just being a product of this fallen world before we put on Christ in baptism will make our old habits of interact-ing with people surface during difficult times. Someone once said in prayer, “Father, so far today I haven’t angered anyone, gossiped, or lost my temper, but soon I’m getting out of bed and will need a lot of help!” The tongue, James says, cannot be tamed. It “is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.” But, our influence for Christ is at stake! We must capture every word as well as thought and deed for Christ!
Is your tongue tamed?
Doug Kashorek
Plattsburgh, NY
BulletinDigest.com