From time to time I will be speaking and the words I want to say are overruled by other
thoughts in my head and the whole thing comes out a big jumbled mess. I will think to myself,”Boy I was tongue tied on that one!” In reality I just mixed up my thoughts and words, but I wasn’t tongue tied. Tongue tied is actually Ankyloglossia, also known as tongue-tie, is a congenital oral anomaly which may decrease mobility of the tongue tip[1] and is caused by an unusually short, thick lingual frenulum, a membrane connecting the underside of the tongue to the floor of the mouth.[2] Ankyloglossia varies in degree of severity from mild cases characterized by mucous membrane bands to complete ankyloglossia whereby the tongue is tethered to the floor of themouth. We have a variety of that same malady in the church today. It’s called gossip. Gossip occurs when we have our tongue tied to the wrong thing, our own agenda and our own perceptions. Here is Websters definition of the word gossip. Gossip – idle talk or rumor, especially about the personal or private affairs of others. So by definition it is making up stuff about the personal affairs of other people. There are tv shows devoted to gossip (tmz) and probably most of the news on tv is stuff that has been blown out of proportion, which is another word for lies. Most gossip is lies. It really is. Those gossipping know that but they want to believe they have the scoop on some juicy info that someone else doesn’t know. The tongue is something scripture talks about in very serious terms. James called the tongue many different things like: big problem – James 3:5 So also the tongue is a small part of the body, and yet it boasts of great thing. Fire James 3:6- And the tongue is a fire, the very world of iniquity; the tongue is set among our members as that which defiles the entire body, and sets on fire the course of our life, and is set on fire by hell. Untamed – James 3:6 But no one can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil and full of deadly poison. Peter warned about the tongue when speaking about believers 1 Peter 3:10 – For, the one who desires life, to love and see good days, must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit. Wow! Where is your tongue tied? To evil or to God? A tongue tied to God and His great ways is a tongue that will encourage and uplift others in their lives and speak good to those around you. When your tongue is tied to God and His purposes He restricts the idle gossip that destroys and releases that same tongue to speak good to others. This makes Matthew 4:4 even more important where Jesus says, “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.” Words are very important and what comes out of our mouths should be filtered by what comes out of God’s mouth, or the Word of God. What is God speaking to you? If you don’t read His Word then you may never know. If you do read His Word, then all you need will be realized. Many religious people try to speak for God but fail miserably in the area of keeping their tongue tied to God’s ways. A person who is led by the Holy Spirit is a person who understands the importance of their words and what they can do, so they give control of their tongue to the one who is ready to use it for good. They tie their tongue to God’s Words and God uses it for His glory. Here is a good lesson to go by. If you are about encouragng others you will have a hard time gossipping about anyone because you are for them as God is. The writer of Hebrews said it like this. Hebrews 3:13 – But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called “Today” so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.” Wow, that is huge!! If we will be about spreading good things and good words, we will not fall into the sin of gossip. So get this: Offensive Spirit filled living makes us be for others and causes us to encourage each other and the end result is no gossip!! I’m for that. So, you are tongue tied. Just, where is your tongue tied. To the evil that a sinful tongue can do, or to God who gives much encouragement and grace to all who listen? Once again, it’s your choice. Which will you choose? I choose God! I hope you do to. If you get tired of speaking encouragement to others then read 1 Thessalonians 5:14 “We urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, enourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone.” That’s probably how we want people to respond to us isn’t it? Of course it is.
The Pilgrimage continues…
David Warren