The Tongue
This blog is based on the devotional that occurred tonight in the Delta meeting...
With a group of about 28 girls sitting around in a circle we began a game of telephone. Y'know the old game, someone starts a phrase and it is whispered ear to ear until at the end the original message has been so messed up that it doesn't make sense. I, being the devious girl in the middle, of course changed the entire message on my own. Don't tell the rest of the group. I just didn't like hearing about someone's doodoo smelling like Captain Crunch. So I changed it to the infamous line, "For your love I would kill a whale with my sandal." By the end of the line it turned out a little something like this, "A whale's blow-hole is like a sand-dollar."
The next thing that we did was close our eyes. Our chaplains walked around the room with something in a bowl that we were supposed to feel. I barely touched it before I came to the conclusion that it felt like a bald cat. If any of you out there truly understand my hatred of cats you would know that a bald cat would just freak me out. When everyone had touched what was in the bowl we found out that it was...
A WHOLE COW TONGUE!!!
EWW!!!
Relative to its size, the tongue is the strongest muscle in our bodies. A cow's tongue is probably like 8 times the size of a human's. Human tongues can either be used for good or evil. The same tongue that can be used to encourage a friend in a time of need one minute, is also the one that can tear down a person's entire reputation the next minute. As we think about the power that we hold inside of our mouths, I want to encourage each of us (including me) to be people of integrity. Let us speak sweet words of love and encouragement...being Christ-like in our words and deeds.
The Bible has several things to say about tongues.
James 3:5-10 "So also, the tongue is a small thing, but what enormous damage it can do. A tiny spark can set a great forest on fire. And the tongue is a flame of fire. It is full of wickedness that can ruin your whole life... People can tame all kinds of animals and birds and reptiles and fish, but no one can tame the tongue. It is an uncontrollable evil, full of deadly poison. Sometimes it praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it breaks out into curses against those who have been made in the image of God. And so, blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth."
Matthew 12:36-37 "And I tell you this, that you must give an account on judgment day of every idle word you speak. The words you say now reflect your fate then; either you will be justified by them or you will be condemned."
Ephesians 4:29 "Don't use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them."
Proverbs 12:18 "Some people make cutting remarks, but the words of the wise bring healing."
Proverbs 10:20 "The words of the godly are like sterling silver; the heart of a fool is worthless."
Proverbs 15:4 "Gentle words bring life and health; a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit."
Proverbs 18:21 "Those who love to talk will experience the consequences, for the tongue can kill or nourish life."
With a group of about 28 girls sitting around in a circle we began a game of telephone. Y'know the old game, someone starts a phrase and it is whispered ear to ear until at the end the original message has been so messed up that it doesn't make sense. I, being the devious girl in the middle, of course changed the entire message on my own. Don't tell the rest of the group. I just didn't like hearing about someone's doodoo smelling like Captain Crunch. So I changed it to the infamous line, "For your love I would kill a whale with my sandal." By the end of the line it turned out a little something like this, "A whale's blow-hole is like a sand-dollar."
The next thing that we did was close our eyes. Our chaplains walked around the room with something in a bowl that we were supposed to feel. I barely touched it before I came to the conclusion that it felt like a bald cat. If any of you out there truly understand my hatred of cats you would know that a bald cat would just freak me out. When everyone had touched what was in the bowl we found out that it was...
A WHOLE COW TONGUE!!!
EWW!!!
Relative to its size, the tongue is the strongest muscle in our bodies. A cow's tongue is probably like 8 times the size of a human's. Human tongues can either be used for good or evil. The same tongue that can be used to encourage a friend in a time of need one minute, is also the one that can tear down a person's entire reputation the next minute. As we think about the power that we hold inside of our mouths, I want to encourage each of us (including me) to be people of integrity. Let us speak sweet words of love and encouragement...being Christ-like in our words and deeds.
The Bible has several things to say about tongues.
James 3:5-10 "So also, the tongue is a small thing, but what enormous damage it can do. A tiny spark can set a great forest on fire. And the tongue is a flame of fire. It is full of wickedness that can ruin your whole life... People can tame all kinds of animals and birds and reptiles and fish, but no one can tame the tongue. It is an uncontrollable evil, full of deadly poison. Sometimes it praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it breaks out into curses against those who have been made in the image of God. And so, blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth."
Matthew 12:36-37 "And I tell you this, that you must give an account on judgment day of every idle word you speak. The words you say now reflect your fate then; either you will be justified by them or you will be condemned."
Ephesians 4:29 "Don't use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them."
Proverbs 12:18 "Some people make cutting remarks, but the words of the wise bring healing."
Proverbs 10:20 "The words of the godly are like sterling silver; the heart of a fool is worthless."
Proverbs 15:4 "Gentle words bring life and health; a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit."
Proverbs 18:21 "Those who love to talk will experience the consequences, for the tongue can kill or nourish life."
It is true that the Bible does have something to say about tongues.
But it also has something to say about raisin cakes:
"The LORD said to me, 'Go, show your love to your wife again, though she is loved by another and is an adulteress. Love her as the LORD loves the Israelites, though they turn to other gods and love the sacred raisin cakes.'" Hosea 3:1
Posted by
everyday.wonder |
2/10/2005 10:21 PM
What exactly is a raisin cake???
I know what rice cakes are...
Posted by
Christi |
2/10/2005 11:02 PM