Tame That Tongue!

My dear friend and mentor, the late Brenda Waters, wrote a song that she taught me before we relocated to Ghana — the chorus says,

“You talk about who’s been sleeping with who; and you talk about who’s been cheatin’ with who.  You talk about the preachers and the way they preach, you even think you want to try to impeach them.  You talk about whose been smoking that stuff, and you talk about whose been shootin’ it up. And you talk and you talk, and you talk and you talk, and you talk and you talk!

Don’t you know that God wants to use your tongue for glory?

You know that He’s worthy! Give Him the Glory!”

There are many days when what I hear (or read) coming from the hearts of my Christian brothers and sisters just breaks my heart. I hear (and read) words of hate, deception, anger, disdain and judgment and it leaves me concerned for the world – because if the Body of Christ is not getting it right, who will? Whether in response to that person that cuts you off on the freeway; that driver that seems to be going just a little to slow when you’re trying to get somewhere; in response to the blatant injustices happening in America; in response to political decisions that we do not like; in response to a loved one being hurt by another; in response to being taken advantage of; in response to the feeling that our rights have been treaded on; in response to sin in leadership that seems to have been overlooked — in response to the myriads of things that can cause us angst; we must be careful not to allow our mouths to be used as a tool of the enemy.

When we open our mouths to speak what is evil/sin/wicked/hateful/not godly — we open our lives up to evil/sin/wickedness/ungodliness. The old Dracula movies said that he could not come in unless someone opened the door and invited him; our enemy Satan is the same way. The Word of God tells us that the power of life and death are in the tongue. Don’t you want your life to be blessed? I do! I’m not trying to create hell here on earth for me to live in.

I made the decision long ago to speak life into my own life; into the lives of the people around me; into this world. What is life? Life is God. What is God? God is Love!! Love!! Love!!!

If you want to live a life that is marked by His blessings – choose to open your mouth and speak love and life. Don’t malign someone just to make yourself feel better. Don’t gossip and say it is a call to prayer. Don’t repeat something that you know is not true and use the excuse that so and so told you. Don’t spread falsehoods and use the excuse that you found it on the internet. Don’t let the media form the message that comes from you. Make a stand for love and for truth.  You see, it is a sad commentary when the world can’t tell us from them!

Some of you are dealing with serious issues that will require divine intervention — it would seem that if you need the divine power of God in your life, you would live, act and speak in ways that invite His power in to your life. I want everyone who encounters me in this world to know that I am different. As a new friend said to me recently – I want them to be attracted to the Jesus glow in me. I want to walk in the favor and blessing of God.

I will NOT be used by the enemy to bring hate into the world. I will NOT spread the story when I don’t even know if the story is true. I will NOT invite the enemy into my life, my heart, my mind, my home. My yes will be yes; my no will be no. I want my life to bring God glory. I want my tongue to bring God glory. I want to experience the blessed life that believers have been promised. May the Holy Spirit work in me to make it so.

‘For, “Whoever would love life and see good days must keep their tongue from evil and their lips from deceitful speech. ‘

1 Peter 3:10