Your Tongue

General Robert E. Lee was once asked what he thought of a fellow officer in the Confederate Army, an officer who had made some mean remarks about him.
Lee thought for a moment, then rated him as being very satisfactory.
The person who asked the question seemed troubled.
"But general, I guess you don't know what he's been saying about you."
"Oh yes," answered Lee. "I know. But I was asked my opinion of him, not his opinion of me."
Controlling the tongue is one of life's greatest challenges.
You know the reason a dog has so many friends is that he wags his tail more than his tongue.
Sometimes I have a hard time controlling my tongue.
Not when I get angry, but in the light, flippant things I say and sometimes repeat.
Perhaps you do too!
James has more to say about the tongue than any other book of the Bible: not a coincidence as James is about practical Christian living.
The tongue can build people up or tear people down.
Our children listen and learn off what we say and do.
You know the great Chicago fire was allegedly started by a single cow.
Mrs. O'Leary's, who kicked over a lantern in its stall. From that one lantern the entire city burned down!
There was also a young man who found out that something he was saying about someone else was totally false.
By spreading the information he had caused that someone a lot of damage.
He went to his grandfather and asked how he could make things right.
The grandfather took a pillow to the front porch, cut it open, and began spreading the feathers.
"All you have to do is pick up all the feathers," answered the grandfather.
Abraham Lincoln went as far to say, "People should keep there mouths shut and let others wonder if they are a fool, instead of opening them up and removing all doubt."
Nobody has ever been hurt by what you did not say.
Simply speaking, most people should spend more time listening and less time talking. Maybe that is why God gave us two ears and one mouth, but people just don't seem to do that.
Listen to some of the language we use. We use words that only one race of people can use or one cliché of people can use.
Serving in the Marine Corps was an honor for me and helped me to attain my goal of going to college, but only Marines are allowed to call each other Jarhead. It really is not a compliment, then I see a movie that came out sometime ago by that very name.
Do you think the producers knew that it was not a compliment?
Words seperate us, dividing people into groups.
Gossip hurts people we may not even know.
It causes strife among people.
Your task this week is to watch what you say and listen to what others say. Believe me you will see what I mean.
Don't say anything unless it builds somebody up. Makes them feel loved. Lets them know you care. Assures them that you are a Christian and not just playing a Christian.