Struthers Memorial Church
  • Home
  • About
    • Background
    • What we believe
    • Youth
    • Cedars School of Excellence
    • Privacy Notice
    • Giving
  • New Year Word
  • Churches
    • Scotland >
      • Greenock
      • Gourock
      • Falkirk
      • Glasgow
      • Edinburgh
      • Cumbernauld
      • Newmains
      • Port Glasgow
    • Wales
    • England >
      • Aylesbury, London
  • Bookshops
  • Contact
  • New Year Word

Thought for the Week

The Tongue

3/5/2022

0 Comments

 

There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings healing. (Proverbs 12:18)

Very often, when we contemplate Biblical teaching about ‘the tongue’ we are drawn to the famous chapter in the Book of James that so eloquently deals with the subject. We read strongly worded verses verses such as…
​

“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. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.” (James 3:5,6 )

And...
​
 Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. (James 3:10)
 
​But,it was not just James who dealt with this topic. The use / abuse of the tongue is a topic that many of the authors of the Bible tackled.

Does anyone want to live a life that is long and prosperous? Then keep your tongue from speaking evil and your lips from telling lies! (Psalms 34:12-13)

To speak evil of no one, to avoid quarrelling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people. (Titus 3:2 )

Even Jesus had something to say about the tongue. 
​
How can you speak good when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil. (Matthew 12:34,35)

And Billy Graham reminds us:
​
“A harsh word can’t be taken back; no apology can fully repair its damage.”

​God tells us that words have power. That power can be used to bring comfort, solace, encouragement, healing. But it can also bring stress, discouragement, wounding or humiliation. We can use our tongue to bring blessing, or we can use our tongues to bring pain. The choice is ours.

​However, we must also remember that it’s not only our words that wound. I, personally, have suffered more from the WAY things have been said to me rather than words themselves. Maybe some of you can identify with that. An unkind tone of voice can bring the fiery darts that wound so severely and can leave a mark, sometime for years.

Time and time again, the Bible reminds us of the importance of the use of our tongue.Thousands of Christian writers have reminded us. Pastors have reminded us. Friends have reminded us. Maybe, for someone today, this will serve as an important reminder. Let’s not ignore it.

Pauline Anderson
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Archives

    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

ABOUT US

Background
What we believe
Cedars School
​Policies
​
Privacy Notice

CHURCHES

Scotland
England
Wales

BOOKSHOPS

Greenock
Glasgow

EVENTS

What's on
Fire Conference
New Year Word
Music

CONTACT

Contact us

Picture
Copyright © 2014  Struthers Memorial Church  All rights reserved  
Struthers Memorial Church is a registered Scottish Charity No. SC 006960  |  Struthers Memorial Church is a company limited by guarantee incorporated in Scotland  Company No SC335480  |  Registered Office: 33 West Stewart Street, Greenock, PA15 1SH. 
  • Home
  • About
    • Background
    • What we believe
    • Youth
    • Cedars School of Excellence
    • Privacy Notice
    • Giving
  • New Year Word
  • Churches
    • Scotland >
      • Greenock
      • Gourock
      • Falkirk
      • Glasgow
      • Edinburgh
      • Cumbernauld
      • Newmains
      • Port Glasgow
    • Wales
    • England >
      • Aylesbury, London
  • Bookshops
  • Contact
  • New Year Word