Mankind’s Ten Worst Enemies – #5 Undisciplined Tongue

Controlling what we say from moment to moment is perhaps the most daunting challenge of Christian living. What you say and what you do not say are equally important. Freedom of speech in God’s economy is not only saying the right words at the right time and in the right tone of voice, but it is also controlling the desire to say what should not be said.

Some of us have acid tongues and we seem to specialize in verbal genocide. The undisciplined tongue can do terrible damage. Angry outbursts, cutting remarks, and unguarded responses only lead to damage, embarrassment, and regret. A few words spoken in anger can destroy a relationship that took years to build. Once words are unleashed, you cannot control or reverse the harm that results. Even a slip of the tongue can have great repercussions.

James declares “the tongue also 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.” James 3:6. He insist that we cannot say we believe in God and fail to keep a tight reign on our tongue. If we do, our religion is worthless. As Christians and followers of Christ, we do not have the need to get people “told off” or to “cut them down to size.” God deals with our enemies.

There is a story told of a man who had been out fishing for quite a while but had not caught any fish. Just as two women were walking by, he finally pulled in a small fish. One of the women took it upon herself to reprimand the man for keeping such a small fish. The man, without looking up, commented, “Maybe you are right lady, but if the fish had kept his mouth shut, he would not have been caught.”

As children of God, we ought to be able to discern when to just keep our mouths shut, hold our peace, mark time, and let God fight our battles.