So…The Ship is on Fire AND it’s Sinking

Selfish shellfish.

Many an anemone sees an enemy anemone.

Can you imagine an imaginary menagerie manager imagining managing an imaginary menagerie?

If one doctor doctors another doctor, does the doctor who doctors the doctor doctor the doctor the way the doctor he is doctoring doctors? Or does he doctor the doctor the way the doctor who doctors doctors?

It’s easy to get your tongue twisted or all tied up, isn't it?

Loose Lips Sink Ships

Source

Apparently, the phrase “loose lips sink ships” stems from the World War I and II eras. When sailors were on leave from their ships, they would of course talk about what ship they sailed on, where it had come from, or where it was going. If they talked too much (had 'loose lips'), they might accidentally provide the enemy with anecdotal information that might later cause their ship to be tracked, bombed, and sunk.

Consequently, this seems to apply to our lives (or my life, at least), as well. If we let our lips run loose, so to speak, they can ruin acquaintances, friendships, and even households. As for "providing the enemy"...well, it does seem like an area we can far too often allow Satan to gain a foothold in.

I have been thinking about this subject a lot lately, as I have often been convicted about the words that are coming out of my mouth--especially at work. It seems as though we all develop that sarcastic, witty banter that sometimes makes the day go by faster. And while that's fun and all, I keep asking myself, "Is it profitable?" What am I building up? Who am I encouraging? What relationships am I building into? Am I being purposeful?

This is something that I used to ask myself all the time:  Are my conversations purposeful? Life goes on, and we concentrate on some things, getting sluggish in others, and I find myself wondering what kind of a legacy I am leaving with the things that I say. James 3 says it this way:

We all make many mistakes. For if we could control our tongues, we would be perfect and could also control ourselves in every other way. We can make a large horse go wherever we want by means of a small bit in its mouth. And a small rudder makes a huge ship turn wherever the pilot chooses to go, even though the winds are strong. In the same way, the tongue is a small thing that makes grand speeches. But a tiny spark can set a great forest on fire. And the tongue is a flame of fire. It is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself. People can tame all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and fish, but no one can tame the tongue. It is restless and evil, full of deadly poison. Sometimes it praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it curses those who have been made in the image of God. And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right! Does a spring of water bubble out with both fresh water and bitter water? Does a fig tree produce olives, or a grapevine produce figs? No, and you can’t draw fresh water from a salty spring.

What is springing forth from your tongue? Clear, refreshing, life-giving water? Or salty, bitter, spirit-crushing water?

Shiny Apples

"A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver" (Proverbs 25:11).

Saying just the right word at just the right time can be something beautiful. But knowing just the right words to say can be difficult. Do you want to know the secret? It's at the heart of all gracious speech. To be a gracious speaker, you need to be a gracious listener. If we really pay attention to people and love them, taking the extra time to really absorb the details of what they are saying, we will be less likely to find ourselves at a loss for words.

"[A woman of noble character] opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue" (Proverbs 31:26).

I am mentally wiping the sweat off of my brow because I am so glad we have another way to make sure we have the right words to say! We can speak in wisdom that comes from the Word of God and the teaching of kindness that comes from the Holy Spirit. We already learned from James that we cannot tame our tongues on our own--good luck with that venture. We need to rely on the Spirit to help us recognize when to quench that instinct to curse, malign, or revile (or in many cases, simply mock, tear down, or belittle) and to give us those words that would instead bless, encourage, and spur others on to a better knowledge of Christ.

For many of us, like me, this is a lifelong battle. Why lay down in surrender when the victory is promised and so clearly worthwhile?