103 Sermon Illustrations on Tongue

If your lips you would keep from slips, Five things observe with care:

To whom you speak; of whom you speak; And how, and when, and where.

Two-year-old Sierra, visibly upset, said, "This isn't my home; my home is all gone." She spoke these poignant words as her parents, David and Jennifer Smargon, held her, looking over the remains of their burned-down home. Their home fell victim to an Arizona blaze that leveled 24,000 acres of national forest and took the lives of six fire fighters from a state prison in July 1990. Another fire the same month in Santa Barbara set a California record by destroying 524 structures. Tragically, officials say these fires were the work of an arsonist, who now faces murder charges because one woman died trying to escape the fire.[1]

James says, "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 NIV)[2]

Like two-year-old Sierra, many children have watched homes needlessly destroyed by the careless work of an unrestrained tongue. How tragic to hear them say, "My home is all gone."

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1. {Newsweek,} 9 July, 1990, 26.

2. From the Holy Bible, {New International Version, }copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society

A group of frogs were traveling through the woods, and two of them fell into a deep pit. All the other frogs gathered around the pit. When they saw how deep the pit was, they told the unfortunate frogs they would never get out. The two frogs ignored the comments and tried to jump up out of the pit. The other frogs kept telling them to stop, that they were as good as dead. Finally, one of the frogs took heed to what the other frogs were saying and simply gave up. He fell down and died. The other frog continued to jump as hard as he could.

Once again, the crowd of frogs yelled at him to stop the pain and suffering and just die. He jumped even harder and finally made it out. When he got out, the other frogs asked him, "Why did you continue jumping? Didn't you hear us?" The frog explained to them that he was hard of hearing, almost deaf. He thought they were encouraging him the entire time.

This story teaches two lessons:

1. There is power of life and death in the tongue. An encouraging word to someone who is down can lift them up and help them make it through the day.

2. A destructive word to someone who is down can be what it takes to kill them. Be careful of what you say. Speak life to those who cross your path.

The power of words ... it is sometimes hard to understand that an encouraging word can go such a long way. Anyone can speak words that tend to rob another of the spirit to continue in difficult times.

Courtney is the daughter of one of our staff, and she had a miserable cold on her ninth birthday. So, no party, no "happy birthdays" at school. I gave her a quick call that day and I sang "Happy Birthday" to her - which may have made her sicker. But I wanted to do something to cheer her up a little that day. You know, it's tough to be sick on your birthday. Well, Courtney and her seven-year old brother Eddie were in the office the other day. I joked with them and said, "I guess Courtney's still eight - 'cause if you're sick on your birthday, it doesn't count." Ha ha, very funny. That night as Eddie was wrapping up his day, he told his Mother, "Hey, guess what? Courtney isn't two years older than me after all!" When Mom asked why, Eddie said, "Because Ron said that if you're sick on your birthday, your birthday doesn't count!" He was serious.

Well, I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "The Power Of Your Words."

How many times my wife has said to me, "I don't think you understand the power of your words." It isn't just me. I don't think most of us understand that power of our words in the lives of the people in our personal world.

God has certainly done His part to help us understand that power. For example, in Proverbs 18:21, He says, "The tongue has the power of life and death." We can, with the things we say, make someone either feel more alive or more dead inside. And you can tell we must not realize what our words can do - or else we wouldn't shoot off our mouth so often, we wouldn't say reckless things, we wouldn't make hurtful or critical or negative comments.

A Biblical case could easily be made that our mouth is actually the most sinful part of our body. We do more sinning probably with our tongue and with our words than with any other part of us. Your words leave an indelible impression, long after you've forgotten that you said them. The things you say can scar a person's worth for a long time to come as they rehearse over and over the name you called them or the accusation you made.

Your words can poison attitudes around you. They can damage someone's trust. They can wound love and create distance where there once was closeness. Your words can damage someone's reputation in a way that may never be repaired. They can spread a rumor that the truth will never catch. What you say will be quoted, remembered, and leaving marks for a long time to come.

So, our word for today from the Word of God in Psalm 141:3 becomes a prayer that some of us need to pray each new day, maybe several times a day. "Set a guard over my mouth, O Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips." Maybe that prayer should be up on the wall in your house, your office, on your telephone. We need to become much more careful about what we're saying, who's listening when we say it, how it could hurt the person we're talking to or talking about. We can't be content to just say, "Well, that's just the way I am," or "Well, you know, they're just being sensitive." We've got to set a guard in front of our mouth - to regularly ask God to help us control our often out-of-control tongue.

It's not just the people around us who are remembering our words. Jesus said, "Men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken." (Matthew 12:36) Don't ever forget the power of your words - to build or to destroy.

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Copyright © Ron Hutchcraft Ministries, Inc., PO Box 400, Harrison, AR 72602. Used by permission. Written by Ron Hutchcraft. "Practical Answers to Real Life Issues"

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I have had the wonderful privilege of being in just about all of the United States. But one of the last that I had the opportunity to visit was one of the most beautiful - Alaska. When I went there the first time, I was impressed with this motto they have on their license plates. It seemed pretty appropriate. “Alaska - The Last Frontier.” I can see why they say that. There are hundreds and thousands of miles of unpopulated expanse, abundant wildlife like bears and moose and eagles, great untamed areas, even some untamed people! There's a wildness that does seem to make it the last frontier.

Well, I'm Ron Hutchcraft, and I want to have A Word With You today about “The Last Frontier in You.”

As a state, Alaska probably qualifies as the last frontier. But if you're talking about the state people are in, well, Alaska, move over. The greatest untamed frontier on earth is identified in our word for today from the Word of God. It's in James 3:2. “We all stumble in many ways,” God says. “If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man (or a complete man), able to keep his whole body in check.”

God says that when it comes to the untamed areas of our personal lives, the tongue is the last frontier! He acknowledges that we stumble in many ways, but then He elevates controlling this one particular kind of sin to the position of Proof #1 that a person is really grown up spiritually, proof that the Lordship of Christ is conquering the deepest corners of a person's rebellious heart. That's when his faith has reached “what he says.”

Listen to God's description of the wildness of this frontier. James 3:7 - “All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and creatures of the sea are being tamed ... but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With the tongue we praise our Lord and our Father, and with it we curse men who have been made in God's likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be.” Talk about a spiritual frontier!

Now, there are people who are doctrinally sound, sexually pure, financially honest, personally unselfish, busy for the Lord, but verbally untamed. If you want to graduate to real spiritual maturity, make your tongue a central issue in your commitment to Jesus Christ. This is the battle on which you need to focus all your spiritual weapons.

A tape of your conversation (your talk) this past week would probably tell the story - that sarcasm that cut so deep, the criticism that diminished the reputation of someone who wasn't even there, the putdown that made you feel bigger when it actually made you smaller, those angry words that wounded people that you say you love, the negative talk that destroyed someone's confidence, the double-meaning comments that polluted you and those who heard you. Unfortunately, the tape would tell the story. What we say is the greatest proof or disproof of all we say we have in Christ, and it's the battle we must win.

If you can, in Christ, get control of your tongue. You can find the power to control any part of your life. It's time you turned all the power of Jesus Christ on that last, untamed frontier - the one in your mouth!

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Copyright © Ron Hutchcraft Ministries, Inc., PO Box 400, Harrison, AR 72602. Used by permission. Written by Ron Hutchcraft. "Practical Answers to Real Life Issues"

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Stick Out Your Tongue

Read: Matthew 26:69-75

Your speech betrays you. --Matthew 26:73

One of the first things a physician says when he examines a patient is, "Let me see your tongue." It is often possible to make a diagnosis just by looking inside a person's mouth. Some diseases can be detected by the tongue's appearance.

This is even more true as a test of spiritual health. A person's speech reveals what is going on inside. Jesus said, "Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks" (Mt. 12:34).

The apostle Peter, on the night Jesus was arrested, made the mistake of opening his mouth. When he spoke, some of the bystanders recognized his dialect and said, "Surely you also are one of them, for your speech betrays you" (Mt. 26:73). Although he tried to deny their accusation, his speech revealed who he really was.

Our speech tells much about us. Our accent indicates the country or region from which we came. Our words reveal education or refinement, or the lack of it. Our topics of discussion point to our chief interests in life, for we talk about the things we love the most. And our conversation reveals our eternal destination, for travelers to heaven will speak "the language of Glory," while travelers to hell will speak "the language of the pit."

What is your tongue saying about you? --M. R. De Haan, M.D. (founder of RBC Ministries)

Take my tongue, and bridled well

Words of truth it e'er may tell.

Take my heart, its wellspring deep,

Cleanse and purify and keep. --Bosch

A word from our mouth speaks volumes about our heart.

"Many wise words are spoken in jest, but they don't compare with the number of stupid words spoken in earnest."

Sam Levenson (1911 - 1980)

Humorist

Cited in Even More of the Best of...BITS & PIECES

Our grandson Jordan couldn't wait to tell me. His Grandma had bought a little kit for him called the "Magic Garden." Together, they put together these little plastic pieces that formed the frame for an outdoor scene that had a mountain as its backdrop. Then Grandma helped Jordan pour the liquid from the kit over the crystals that are hiding in designated areas of that frame. The next day Jordan came to our house to see what had happened to that scene. When he stopped by my office to tell me, his eyes got big and his hands were in motion to try to explain to me what he had seen - he just said, "It grow!" And he had this kind of sense of wonderment. He was right - the trees had sprouted full pink foliage overnight, colorful flowers and bushes had bloomed, and, as Jordan said, "Mountain grow snow." Well, sure enough, the mountain had filled in with a cover of snow. Last night's plain plastic frame had suddenly exploded into this fully blooming, technicolor show!

Well, I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A WORD WITH YOU today about "Growing Amazing Gardens."

That "Magic Garden" kit appears pretty plain and unimpressive at first look. But the secret is that there's all kinds of potential beauty there. Of course, you'll never see that beauty if you don't water it to make it grow! By the way - people are like that, too. Including some folks in your personal world right now. They may not look or feel like they're much - but they've got all kinds of potential for beauty ... if someone will water what needs to grow.

God gives us a hint of this life-changing chemistry in our word for today from the Word of God in Ephesians 4:15-16. He says, "Speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into Him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From Him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work."

The "water" in this chemistry for growth is "speaking the truth in love" and things that "build up" those that we're in contact with. If we nurture the good things in people, if we love them by telling them the truth about Jesus and about who they are in Him, we can actually help people start to become more like Jesus, to start producing His spiritual characteristics.

The problem is that we often can't see past the basic "kit" in front of us. We look at our partner, our son or daughter, our mother or father, our fellow believer or co-worker, and all we can see is their "warts," their weaknesses, the things they need to improve. We're experts at seeing the flaws and areas for improvement in other people. Consequently, most of us have already had a lifetime's worth of criticism, put-downs, harshness.

But the eyes of Jesus don't just see what a person is - they see what that person could be - if someone would just water their potential with some encouragement and praise and believing in them. Jesus told Simon, "You are Simon, but you will be 'the rock.'" He saw what Simon could be - and, in fact, what He became in Jesus' amazing garden.

So, what you water will grow. People will become what you call them. And the people in your family, in your church, at the place where you work have so much beauty planted in them by our Creator. But somebody needs to believe in what they could be. So build them up - don't ever tear them down. Build their confidence, don't take it away. Load them up with praise - they don't need the growth-stunting effects of your negatives. You will be amazed at what can happen in the garden of lives around you if you will water them to bring out their latent beauty. In the words of my grandson, "They grow!"

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Copyright © Ron Hutchcraft Ministries, Inc., PO Box 400, Harrison, AR 72602. Used by permission. Written by Ron Hutchcraft. "Practical Answers to Real Life Issues"

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The following facts about the invention of the American bathtub have been dutifully recorded in the Congressional Record:

1. The first American bathtub was introduced by Adam Thompson on December 10, 1842, to a group of derisive friends in Cincinnati, Ohio.

2. Doctors all around the country immediately denounced the bathtub as a menace to general health, and Boston banned it.

3. Virginia hastily levied a tax of $30 on every bathtub sold within its borders, and a bill banning the use of bathtubs entirely in Philadelphia from November 1 to March 31 was defeated by a narrow margin of two votes.

4. No bathtub was allowed inside the White House until 1851, when President Millard Fillmore bravely dunked his limbs in one of the fiendish contraptions.

There is only one thing wrong with these interesting statistics: they are completely untrue from beginning to end. The editor and writer, H.L. Mencken, in one of his more playful moods, had invented them from whole cloth for a piece he wrote for the New York Evening Mail that appeared December 28, 1917.

The “facts” were widely circulated in magazine and newspaper articles, speeches in the Congress, etc. When Mencken saw to his amazement that his little joke was being taken seriously, he tried desperately to convince everybody he had perpetrated what he thought would be a harmless hoax. But he was too late. Nobody would believe him. He had done his job so well that he was never able to undo it. Some of his “facts’ have even persisted to this day.

I am your tongue! I am an important fellow. The Bible mentions me about 215 times (Proverbs 18:21; Proverbs 21:23, etc.). When I speak kind, thoughtful and true words, there is happiness; when I speak mean, untrue, angry or complaining words, there is trouble.

A little girl come to her mother, saying, "Which is worse, Mama, to tell a lie or to steal?" The mother replied that both were so sinful she could not tell which was worse. "Well, Mama," replied the little one, "I've been thinking a good deal about it, and I think it's so much worse to lie than steal." "Why, my child?" asked the mother.

"Well, you see, Mama, it's like this," said the little girl, "If you steal a thing, you can take it back, unless you've eaten it, and if you've eaten it, you can pay for it; but a lie is forever."

Once, when Dr. Pierson was in George Mueller's study, he took a glance into his Bible. As he was leafing through it he came to Psalm 37:23, "The steps of a good man are ordered by Jehovah." He noticed that George Mueller had written by the side of it in the margin, "and the stops!" If our tongues know when to go and when to stop, then our whole bodies, our whole personalities, will know when to move and when to stop. If we don't have God's bridle, these tongues of ours will keep going incessantly. Now we need the steps and the stops, too! If it were not for the bridle, the rider would find it very difficult, if not impossible, to stop the horse.

Why does the horse stop? Because the bits in the bridle hurt his tongue. It is so with God in His dealings with us. We are moving so fast in the wrong direction, toward our own goal and destruction, that God has to pull hard on the bridle to cause us to stop.

Themes in Proverbs: The Tongue — Verses shown are New American Standard version; look at them in your Bible — « Leader information shown in this fashion »

List the GOOD and the EVIL uses of the tongue on the last page

4:24 Put away from you a deceitful mouth, And put devious lips far from you.

10:11-32 The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life, But the mouth of the wicked conceals violence. Hatred stirs up strife, But love covers all transgressions. On the lips of the discerning, wisdom is found, But a rod is for the back of him who lacks understanding. Wise men store up knowledge, But with the mouth of the foolish, ruin is at hand. The rich man’s wealth is his fortress, The ruin of the poor is their poverty. The wages of the righteous is life, The income of the wicked, punishment. He is on the path of life who heeds instruction, But he who forsakes reproof goes astray. He who conceals hatred has lying lips, And he who spreads slander is a fool. When there are many words, transgression is unavoidable, But he who restrains his lips is wise. The tongue of the righteous is as choice silver, The heart of the wicked is worth little. The lips of the righteous feed many, But fools die for lack of understanding. It is the blessing of the LORD that makes rich, And He adds no sorrow to it. Doing wickedness is like sport to a fool; And so is wisdom to a man of understanding. What the wicked fears will come upon him, And the desire of the righteous will be granted. When the whirlwind passes, the wicked is no more, But the righteous has an everlasting foundation. Like vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes, So is the lazy one to those who send him. The fear of the LORD prolongs life, But the years of the wicked will be shortened. The hope of the righteous is gladness, But the expectation of the wicked perishes. The way of the LORD is a stronghold to the upright, But ruin to the workers of iniquity. The righteous will never be shaken, But the wicked will not dwell in the land. The mouth of the righteous flows with wisdom, But the perverted tongue will be cut out. The lips of the righteous bring forth what is acceptable, But the mouth of the wicked, what is perverted.

12:6 The words of the wicked lie in wait for blood, But the mouth of the upright will deliver them.

12:18 There is one who speaks rashly like the thrusts of a sword, But the tongue of the wise brings healing.

12:22 Lying lips are an abomination to the LORD, But those who deal faithfully are His delight.

13:3 The one who guards his mouth preserves his life; The one who opens wide his lips comes to ruin.

14:3 In the mouth of the foolish is a rod for his back, But the lips of the wise will preserve them.

15:1-7 A gentle answer turns away wrath, But a harsh word stirs up anger. The tongue of the wise makes knowledge acceptable, But the mouth of fools spouts folly. The eyes of the LORD are in every place, Watching the evil and the good. A soothing tongue is a tree of life, But perversion in it crushes the spirit. A fool rejects his father’s discipline, But he who regards reproof is prudent. Much wealth is in the house of the righteous, But trouble is in the income of the wicked. The lips of the wise spread knowledge, But the hearts of fools are not so.

15:23 A man has joy in an apt answer, And how delightful is a timely word!

16:13 Righteous lips are the delight of kings, And he who speaks right is loved.

16:23-24 The heart of the wise teaches his mouth, And adds persuasiveness to his lips. Pleasant words are a honeycomb, Sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.

16:27 A worthless man digs up evil, While his words are as a scorching fire.

17:4 An evildoer listens to wicked lips, A liar pays attention to a destructive tongue.

18:7 A fool’s mouth is his ruin, And his lips are the snare of his soul.

18:21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit.

19:1 Better is a poor man who walks in his integrity Than he who is perverse in speech and is a fool.

20:19 He who goes about as a slanderer reveals secrets, Therefore do not associate with a gossip.

21:23 He who guards his mouth and his tongue, Guards his soul from troubles.

26:28 A lying tongue hates those it crushes, And a flattering mouth works ruin.

30:32 If you have been foolish in exalting yourself Or if you have plotted evil, put your hand on your mouth.

Good Uses Evil Uses

« You will find it much easier to find the evil uses! Does that suggest anything? Look at the book of James, chapter 3 for more thoughts on this subject. Who is the solution to the problem of our tongues? How can we give the Holy Spirit control over this item? »

Tongue, out of control It has been said that the "tongue" is one of the most exercised muscles of our body. It has been estimated that in a typical week, the average person will speak enough words to fill a 500 page book! However, for the Christian, the use of the tongue must be a matter of careful forethought and discipline. The Bible warns that believers who do not bring restraint to their tongue and speech have been deceived - and without such control over their words, their religious acts are worthless and hypocritical. "If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one's religion is useless" (James 1:26). It is a deception for any of us to think that Jesus can be Lord over our life, without also becoming Lord over our tongue. The reference to a "bridle" in the previous verse is the leather harness and bit placed in a horse's mouth to control it. In the same manner, Christians must allow the Holy Spirit to bridle their tongue, and bring restraint to their words. David used a similar device as a metaphor to describe his tight control on his mouth to avoid sinning with his tongue, especially when the ungodly were around, where it's easy to develop a critical tongue, or pick up their bad tongue habits, such as profanity. "I will guard my ways, Lest I sin with my tongue; I will restrain my mouth with a muzzle, While the wicked are before me" (Psalms 39:1). Hypocrisy of the Tongue Elsewhere, James gave a warning of the evil poison of the tongue. He described some who try to use their tongue as praise and blessing to God, then turn around to use their tongue to speak evil of one another. "With it we bless our God and Father, and with it rue curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so" (James 3:9-10). We cannot use our tongue to curse and bad-mouth our brethren, then continue "business as usual" with our relationship with God. The Bible says that such tongue behavior is characteristic of hypocrites. "The hypocrite with his mouth destroys his neighbor... "(Prov. 11:9). Along this same vein, the psalmist warned that the wicked who use their mouth for evil and who speak against their brethren, violate the sacredness of God's covenant and forfeit their right to use that same mouth as a vessel of God's Holy Word and promise. Paraphrased, the passage says, "What right do you have to use your mouth to declare my word and promises? You have used your mouth for evil and deceitfulness, to bad-mouth and slander your brethren" (Psa. 50:16-22). Mouth sins are not Trivial Unfortunately, mouth sins have somehow been domesticated and entertained by the modern church. Gossip, backbiting, and slander have become viewed as "naughty" little habits that aren't really so serious. However, when Paul wrote to the church at Rome he sternly contended that gossips, slanderers, and bad-mouthers were in the same league as murderers, sexual perverts, and haters of God. Furthermore, he said such sins are worthy of a death sentence (Rom. 1:28-32). Some believers have experienced problems and misfortune, or fail to get answers to their prayers, because of their mouth sins. Using their tongue to ridicule, gossip about, or to slander their brothers and sisters is clearly sin - and as we know, unrepentant sin cuts off the flow of God's answers to their prayers. "If I regard iniquity in my heart, The Lord will not hear" (Psa 66:18). Those who have mouth problems are destined to experience much trouble in their life and will not find it easy to obtain God's help with their problems. Satan takes advantage of those whose mouths are undisciplined and that are used wickedly. "Whoever guards his mouth and tongue Keeps his soul from troubles" (Prov. 21:23). The Bible teaches that they who desire to dwell in the presence of God, to experience His blessings, are those who will live righteously and who will not backbite or badmouth their neighbor. "LORD, who may abide in Your tabernacle a Who may dwell in Your holy hill? He who walks uprightly, And works righteousness, And speaks the truth in his heart; He who does not backbite with his tongue, Nor does evil to his neighbor, Nor does he take up a reproach against his friend" (Psa. 15:1-3). Furthermore, God promises a long, blessed life to those who keep their tongue from evil. "Who is the man who desires life, And loves many days, that he may see good? Keep your tongue from evil, And your lips from speaking deceit" (Psa. 34:12-13). Accountable for all our Words Jesus warned that our words are so important that they will actually determine our condemnation or justification. He said we will be held responsible for all our words, even our careless, idle words. "But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned" (Matt. 12:36-37). Elsewhere, Paul cautioned believers to disallow any corrupt or worthless talk to come from our mouth. Only those things which lift-up, encourage, and are gracious should be expressed to others. "Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers" (Eph. 4:29). Obscenities, profanity, cursing, dirty jokes, or making fun of others is not something that should ever be found in the mouth of a believer. "Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving" (Eph. 5:4 NIV). Confess and forsake Sin Thank God there is a remedy for mouth sins. His grace and forgiveness is available for all manner of sin, whatever it may be. Jesus will forgive all sins that we confess to Him (1 John 1:9) - but we must also "forsake" them. "He who covers his sins will not prosper, But whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy" (Prov. 28:13). The scriptures tell us to "repent" of sin (Rev. 3:19), that is to "turn away" from sinful behavior. True repentance means that we will make every effort not to repeat our former sins and will seek to walk in the nature of Christ. Since mouth sins really originate in the heart (Matt. 12:34), repentance requires a change of attitude within. Such was David's desire in his repentant prayer. "Hide Your face from my sins, And blot out all my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, 0 God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me" (Psa. 51:9-10). If you realize that your tongue is out of control, seek His forgiveness and allow Him to change the attitude of your heart and your mouth, so they will be pleasing to Him. "Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, 0 LORD, my strength and my Redeemer" (Psa. 19:14).

In Today's Christian Woman, Ramona Cramer Tucker writes:

While at a restaurant after lunch, my friend Michelle and her coworker, Sharon, stopped in the restroom to fix their makeup before returning to their jobs. Their small talk turned to the subject of a woman who drove them crazy. Michelle launched into a two-minute diatribe about their coworker Beth. As Michelle prepared to divulge more, a stall door opened. Out walked Beth, red-faced and angry.

Michelle and Beth stared at each other in embarrassed panic. Michelle knew she couldn't take her words back. In the instant their eyes met, Beth fled out the door. That afternoon, Beth didn't return to work. The next day Michelle heard through the grapevine that Beth had resigned. While other staff members cheered what seemed to be good news, Michelle felt miserable. She wished she had talked to Beth instead of talking about Beth.

Although that situation happened five years ago, Michelle's never forgotten it. She tried to reach Beth several times by phone, then wrote her a letter of apology. Beth never responded. Michelle says she learned her lesson about loose lips the hard way. What's worse is that Michelle's a Christian, and Beth, to her knowledge, isn't.

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Source: “Loose Lips,” Today's Christian Woman (Nov/Dec 2000)

One thing television has done for us - it's made us all more self-conscious about our breath. The commercials keep coming. Years ago it was, “Don't broadcast bad breath.” More recent commercials talk about your “wake-up breath.” You run from people who want to kiss you because you have to gargle first. You got to get rid of that morning mouth. Well, these kinds of commercials sell a lot of mouthwash, toothpaste, breath mints and breath drops. I just wish there was a mouthwash for the really gross mouth problem.

I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about “Verbal Halitosis.”

Our word for today from the Word of God comes from Ephesians 4:29. “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” This word unwholesome is interesting, “don't let any unwholesome talk come out.” It means decay. It means rotten. It talks about rotten fruit. It talks about spoiled fish. Don't let any rotten apples or spoiled fish come out of your mouth. It's a strong word. It's not just unwholesome. We're talking here about verbal halitosis.

What if we taped your conversations over the last few days and played them all back? Telephone conversations, what you said to your family members, your angry moments, your stress moments. Is there any talk there that would tear a person down? Critical, negative, complaining, some put-down there, a little sarcasm here, maybe you had the last word that ended the argument, but it wounded someone you love.

Listen to this: “Do not let (That means, stop it. Don't let it) come out of your mouth” - that kind of hurting talk. The Bible says “the tongue has the power of life and death.” Proverbs 12:18 says, “Reckless words pierce like a sword.” You've got to ask the Lord to help you hear those spiritual alarms that go off before you're about to say something that's really hurtful. We've already done it enough for a lifetime. Stop it before it comes out. It's like a bullet coming out of a gun. You can't stop it. You have to stop it by not pulling the trigger. Once it's sent to its target, it's just going to do its damage.

Interestingly enough, God provides a “do” here for the “don't.” He says, “Don't let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouth.” He says, “...but talk building-up talk” - things that build up other people. You need to look at that other person as a person who's under construction - a person you're building. So ask yourself, when I talk to that person, did I build them or did I bulldoze them. It's a strong follow-up here in Ephesians 4:30, “Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God.” In other words, you make God cry when you tear down a person He's trying to build. So look out for that rotten, spoiled garbage that so easily spills out of your mouth.

It doesn't take long for the words to come out, but the damage can last a lifetime. We never forget the insults. We never forget the names we're called. We never forget the criticism long after the person who has spoken them can't remember them.

Spiritual halitosis - it's not just dangerous because it smells bad, sometimes it can even leave life-long scars. Let's follow what the Bible says: “Guard your mouth.”

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Copyright © Ron Hutchcraft Ministries, Inc., PO Box 400, Harrison, AR 72602. Used by permission. Written by Ron Hutchcraft. "Practical Answers to Real Life Issues"

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The destructive phrases in the first lines are all too common. Consider their counterparts on the second lines, language rooted in love. Do you need to let Christ transform any of the messages you communicate?

That won’t work.

Let’s try it

You’ll never make it.

You can do it

Can’t you do anything right?

Let me help you

You never . . .

Sometimes you . . .

You always . . .

Sometimes you . . .

I can’t believe you like . . .

Tell me what you like about . . .

Use your head for once.

Let’s think this through.

I was just teasing.

I’m sorry.

Why can’t you be like . . . ?

I appreciate you.

Are you going to wear that?

I think your blue shirt looks better with those pants.

You drive me crazy!

Help me understand you.

Shut up!

What were you saying?

*

Seven out of ten people have a root beer story, or so I was recently told. First created in 1875, the original American soft drink is an icon of early popular culture with an ageless charm. Root beer, someone said, reminds Americans of the way they once were. Root beer reminds me of my grandfather.

The basement was his laboratory. The unreachable glass bottles lined the basement shelves, which seemed to a 6-year-old like a giant train around the ceiling. Seeing them in their lofty state always quickened my hope that this would be the night; drinking root beer was a family event.

No two root beer recipes seem to be the same, and many require an intricate list of ingredients, from sassafras root to juniper berries to yucca extract. But for those who enjoy the carbonated fizz, the most important ingredient is yeast. Natural carbonation occurs when yeast eats the sugar in the solution, creating carbon gas. Fizzy and spicy, my grandfather's homemade recipe was better than anything I've had since.

But there was one batch that went dreadfully wrong. I don't fully understand the science behind it; I'm not sure if the problem was too much yeast or the wrong kind. But I remember the basement being quarantined for several days and the sounds of warfare coming up from the floorboards. Like a belt of ammunition, the carefully lined-up bottles were exploding one by one sending syrup and shards of glass from floor to ceiling. Since then, I have been somewhat cautious around yeast.

As the apostle Paul was writing to the Galatian Church, he had in mind the things that were most plaguing the community. “You were running a good race. Who cut in on you and kept you from obeying the truth?” he asks. “That kind of persuasion does not come from the one who calls you. 'A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough'“ (Galatians 5:7-9). There was a false teacher among them speaking words that would ferment into something dangerous if they would allow it. Paul was confident they would heed his time-critical warning.

The imagery of yeast at work in deceptive words is frightening. Yeast is hidden by the dough or liquid it works in; it is small and virtually undetectable, yet it meticulously works its way throughout the environment that houses it. Like the bottles that lined our basement shelves, a negative word hidden away and festering in my mind can explode any minute. A word void of truth stored in a community or in a faulty motive can cause more mess and damage than detonated soda bottles. “A little yeast works all through the dough,” Paul warned — a warning sent not only to the Galatians who were plagued with false teaching, but to the Corinthians whose prideful speech was threatening their vision of Christ.

God has created us with the gift of language, the power of speech. Fearfully and wonderfully, we must recognize it in us and around us. But the yeast of words works both ways.

In all of the batches of root beer we enjoyed over the years, most of yeast did its job well. The soda came out fizzing and spicy, the perfect combination of sweet and sparkling. In the gospel of Matthew, Jesus describes the kingdom of heaven as yeast at work and hidden. Like yeast, the kingdom of God is alive and growing, and working its way through the nations. Where God's word may seem obscured or lost, his spirit is spreading, working its way through hearts and cities, families and homelands.

Holding the power of life and death, the words we speak and the words we come in contact with go forth and do not return void. Like God's word, which became flesh and transformed all of time, so our words shape and change things. With our words we mold attitudes, expectations, and situations — furthering death or fostering life, causing explosions or wielding the peace of Christ. Our words are life-effecting; his words are life. Our words can act as the yeast of the kingdom or the yeast of the Pharisees; He is word made flesh, dwelling among us, full of grace and truth. A LITTLE YEAST WORKS ALL THROUGH THE DOUGH.

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Copyright © 2005 Ravi Zacharias International Ministries (RZIM). Reprinted with permission. "A Slice of Infinity" is a radio ministry of Ravi Zacharias International Ministries.

*

It is related of Sir Robert Peel that to his last days he could never go into a room without a look of nervousness, without trembling, and in presence of Royalty he was like a shy, awkward country lad, not knowing what to do with his hands, and shuffling his feet in a curious and painful way. The explanation given is, that as a lad at Harrow School he had been terribly bullied and worried. His schoolmates fastened on to his awkward little ways and so teased and mocked him, and this fastened on his soul, and he never did overcome it. The great Primer Minister was scarred and marred by these early cruelties. What need for care in early training that the result in after life may be blessing, and not bane!

An elderly gentleman recently related that when he was a young man he was on one occasion out with a party camping. They were mostly young fellows, but one or two were middle-aged men. One evening as they sat around the fire, a story that one of the older men told suggested to my friend a vulgar comment, to which he gave utterance before he thought twice. He could have bitten his tongue off the next instant. The older man simply looked straight at him for a moment across the fire, and he knew that he was judged by that remark. After a year or two had passed the young man's name was mentioned for a position which was very desirable and which he seemed likely to secure, but the man who had been disgusted at his vulgar comment was one of the three to decide it, and at his suggestion the young man was defeated. He afterward found other work and made a fair success of life, but he regretted as long as he lived giving utterance to that one vulgar, impure comment. The story is a striking illustration of Christ's word, "I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment" (Matthew 12:36)

A great many persons who are just in many things are unjust in speaking. A great many men who are cautious in their demeanor abroad, at home and in their own household are heedless, and even rash. There are Christian heads of families who shoot across the table from day to day words which stir up the worst feelings that men can have. Many children are brought up in the midst of provocations and quarrels. Many and many a household has no free chimney which carries away the smoke of these conflicts, and the smoke falls down, leaving harm where it rests; and there is a settled condition of unhappiness as the result.

There are many unruly and vain talkers … whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses. — Titus 1:10, 11.

Well has the tongue been defined as the avenue for Satan’s inroads, the index of carnality, the poison that harms oneself and hurts one’s best friends. The Christian’s manner of speech should be an expression of his spirituality. Let us pay heed to the exhortation, “Speak not evil one of another, brethren” James 4:11. — O. G. C. Sprunt.

When Satan tempts you to speak ill

Of those redeemed by Jesus’ blood,

Remember this, and love them still,

“They’re dear to God.”

I stand confidently by the passage in Leviticus that states, “Winged insects that have four feet are detestable.” I might even add that insects really IN GENERAL are detestable, though maybe with the exception of fireflies or ladybugs or praying mantises -- the kind of insects we are taught not to fear but to wonder at.

But there is one kind in particular that I find worth wondering at even as I find them and their invasion of my space thoroughly dreadful. They are called “periodical cicadas” because they emerge from their secret bug lairs every 17 years to mate and lay their eggs -- 500 trillion eggs to be exact. Quite detestably, they come creeping out of the ground in astonishing, invasive populations, in what is the single greatest regular outpouring of insect life on the planet.

For a few weeks, periodical cicadas emerge across the country in droves, dodging people and cars, devouring horticulture, and then dying in mass numbers, leaving behind their winged bodies as a stinking reminder of their brief existence and their promised return. In exactly 17 years, like clockwork, they will be back. Scientists have no idea how they mark the passage of time, how they mysteriously know to come creeping out of the ground again like miniature space invaders in a science fiction novel. In any case, as one scientific observer notes, the periodic cicada vividly reminds the world that “underneath our tidy gardens and parks lurk vestiges of untamed nature.”

Interestingly enough, it is the lurking presence of periodical cicadas, a presence of which we are unaware until they are restlessly stirring among us, that comes to mind whenever I consider a verse from the book of James. James teaches about the power of the tongue and its unleashed and creeping presence within our lives. And his language is just that evocative. He writes, “All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison” (3:7). James is writing that we might see in what is untamed and detestable within us our dire need for God’s mercy. “For with the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be” (3:9-11).

I remember being a small child and wondering a lot about words. At age seven I already knew that words could hurt more than a lot of things, that they could be lies or something worse, that they could be gentle or like a burning fire. I remember imagining a world where we were each given a certain number of words, and when we had used up our allotted word count life would be over. It was a strange thing to be thinking about, but it was a world I often tried to envision. Would it be nicer? Or only quiet? How many words would we consider “wasted” after they were uttered? Some days, in the spirit of make-believe, I would choose to limit my own words, trying to say what needed to be said with as few words as possible. It was an exercise I saw then as thoughtful and entertaining; I don’t think I saw the wisdom in it that I see now. But I often wish I had maintained the discipline.

The Scriptures make clear a truth to which we can all testify. Words spring forth from our tongues at times unplanned and untamed. Dutch philosopher Benedict Spinoza once noted, “[E]xperience more than sufficiently teaches that men govern nothing with more difficulty than their tongues.” In the Psalms, we read of destructive words emerging from hearts filled with destruction, tongues speaking deceit from throats that are open graves. The psalmist sees the connection between the emerging words and the soil of a heart, also seeing clearly our need for God to cultivate it. “May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord my rock and redeemer” (19:14). It is one of our most honest and indispensable prayers -- for much lurks beneath the soil.

Like insects whose communal emerging reminds us that all is not as tidy and peaceful as it appears within our gardens, so the tongue reminds us that much is lurking within our hearts. The tongue is a detestable creature, a restless evil. In its toxic influence we are reminded of our nature, and our need for the one who hears our cries and draws near to those who seek Him. With trembling minds, we remember Jesus’s words to those whose lives appeared as spotless but whose hearts were filled with infestation. And with hope, we remember the God who made tame the lions that shared a den with Daniel, and the ravens which brought Elijah bread both morning and night. It is this God who can tame also our tongues, if we will have Him.

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Copyright © 2007 Ravi Zacharias International Ministries (RZIM). Reprinted with permission. "A Slice of Infinity" is a radio ministry of Ravi Zacharias International Ministries.

“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

According to an annual report of the state-controlled match industry in France, “If all the matches produced in France that year were laid end to end, they would stretch eight times the distance between the earth and the moon.”

That’s a lot of matches that produced a lot of light. But it only takes one match to burn down a home or a forest. And it only takes a bitter word to cut down and destroy a fellow-struggler’s reputation.

While we would never think of stealing a man’s transportation, some of us with an idle word have, without knowing it, stolen his reputation.

Just a reminder of the power of the tongue. As the Bible says, “With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers [and sisters], this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring?” (James 3:9-11, NIV).

“Suggested prayer: “Dear God, help me to remember always the power of the tongue and to guard what I say about another person. Deliver me from the sin of gossip and help me always to “speak the truth in love.” Gratefully in Jesus’ name. Amen.”

Gossip is more powerful than truth, a study showed on Monday, suggesting people believe what they hear through the grapevine even if they have evidence to the contrary.

Researchers, testing students using a computer game, also found gossip played an important role when people make decisions, said Ralf Sommerfeld, an evolutionary biologist at the Max Planck Institute in Germany, who led the study.

“We show that gossip has a strong influence... even when participants have access to the original information as well as gossip about the same information,” the researchers wrote in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. “Thus, it is evident that gossip has a strong manipulative potential.”

In the study, the researchers gave the students money and allowed them to give it to others in a series of rounds. The students also wrote notes about how others played the game that everyone could review.

Students tended to give less money to people described as “nasty misers” or “scrooges” and more to those depicted as “generous players” or “social players,” Sommerfeld said. “People only saw the gossip, not the past decisions,” he said in a telephone interview. “People really reacted on it.”

The researchers then took the game a step further and showed the students the actual decisions people had made. But they also supplied false gossip that contradicted that evidence. In these cases, the students based their decisions to award money on the gossip, rather than the hard evidence, showing such information is a powerful tool, Sommerfeld said.

“Rationally if you know what the people did, you should care, but they still listened to what others said,” he said. “They even reacted on it if they knew better.”

Researchers have long used similar games to study how people cooperate and the impact of gossip in groups. Scientists define gossip as social information spread about a person who is not present, Sommerfeld said.

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Copyright 2007 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.