TAMING THE TONGUE

I want to share something I've been working on with you. Not a craft this time, but something in regards to my words. You see, for most of my life I have foolishly prided myself in having a quick wit, having a very crafty tongue, I thought that I was clever being able to have a comeback for most things people threw at me. Last week I read and meditated on this scripture:

"No one can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil and full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God; from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not be this way. Does a fountain send out from the same opening both fresh and bitter water?" - James 3:8-11

Many things about this struck me and I decided I would challenge myself to try with all my might to tame my tongue. I know there are some of you who are extremely good at this (my husband for one), but for me, this is not an easy task. Often times I speak before thinking and what comes out, especially in anger is not always nice. I asked a few loved ones to keep me accountable and to call me out when they heard me start to go down the path of an untamed tongue. I will not lie, I have already failed at this challenge, but I have not given up. Being the continual work in progress that I am I quickly wiped off the dust of defeat and started to try again. 

One of the things that really struck a cord with me is verse 9 "with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God" Immediate guilt came across me, how do I claim to love my God yet talk negatively or complain about others who are made in his likeness? When I begin to look at everyone else as the "likeness of God' I begin to hold back any negative word. Suddenly that other person becomes no different than me, suddenly that person is covered by the same grace I am. It is still a work in progress, after all some bad habits are hard to break...A women cut me off while I was on the freeway and my usual words begin to come up and out under my breathe and then...Grace...likeness of God...she is somebody's daughter, just like my daughter, just like me and I stopped, I had to clutch the steering wheel a little harder, but I stopped.

My apologies if this was a little too 'wordy' for you, perhaps not the post you were expecting, but I like to share my daily life with you on here and this has been a huge part of my daily life. Thanks for sticking around...and for those who prefer the pictures of my little loves...here you go...

(Mommy, that little girl in the window keeps making faces at me!)

 

Today's Reflection:

Lord, thank you for your grace and your patience with me.