With the help of grace, the habit of saying kind words is very quickly formed, and when once formed, it is not speedily lost. Sharpness, bitterness, sarcasm, acute observation, divination of motives, – all these things disappear when a man is earnestly conforming himself to the image of Christ Jesus. The very attempt to be like our dearest Lord is already a well-spring of sweetness within us, flowing with an easy grace over all who come within our reach.
Our prayers may be very beautiful in appearance and might appear to be the very paragon of devotion, but unless there is a secret spiritual force in them, they are vain things.
I often say to others that I have “teeth marks on my tongue” from choosing NOT to speak when I am criticized or accused of something! Proverbs 10:19 says, “… he who holds his tongue is wise.” I want to develop a higher standard of self-control, asking God to help me filter my words.
Orthodoxy, or right opinion, is, at best, a very slender part of religion. Though right tempers cannot subsist without right opinions, yet right opinions may subsist without right tempers. There may be a right opinion of God without either love or one right temper toward Him. Satan is a proof of this.
We are meant to live with God on the throne, with a wide-open heart to him and others. But a contentious, judgmental person has shrivelled up inside, shutting down to both God and neighbour. On the outside, a contentious person speaks rotten words that tear down rather than build up and condemn rather than give grace (Ephesians 4:29). On the inside, a person swept up in sinful anger has become demonic and diabolical—in the truest sense—an image-bearer of the hostile critic of God’s people (James 3:15;4:7).
The words of the proud man impose silence on all others, so that he alone may be heard. The humble man speaks only in order to be spoken to.
A mature Christian recognizes that correcting every wrong on the Internet would take more hours than a full-time job. If you snap every time your great-aunt’s friend’s cousin thrice-removed makes a snarky comment about “all the contradictions in the Bible,” it will consume you and your joy.]
December 20, 2019
Without a doubt, one of the things which keeps us from attaining perfection is our tongue. When one has reached the point of no longer committing faults in speech, he has surely reached perfection, as was said by the Holy Spirit. The worst defect in talking is talking too much. Hence, in speech be brief and virtuous, brief and gentle, brief and simple, brief and charitable, brief and amiable.
We can never hear the warning often enough. The tongue (or typing finger) may be small, but oh so deadly when not under the sanctifying grace of God.
What are our lame praises in comparison with His love? Nothing, and less than nothing; but love will stammer rather than be dumb.