Wise words will win you a good meal, but treacherous people have an appetite for violence. Those who control their tongue will have a long life; opening your mouth can ruin everything. (Proverbs 13:2-3) Our words actually produce a harvest of goodness and grace, or they create one of bitter weeds and hurtful briars. A weed chokes out all the good growth around it. A briar pricks at whatever it contacts, causing unbearable irritation. What do our words produce? Good people enjoy the positive results of their words because they don't create chaos, discord, or mistrust in those who hear their words. Words are meant to be heard - once spoken, they cannot be unheard. We might want to 'take back' what we have said, but a seed sown is not able to be retrieved. The control of the tongue is more than learning a 'cultured' manner of speech. It is being able to size up a situation, read the moment, hear the Holy Spirit urging, and then speak when the moment and conditions are...
Then the Pharisees met together to plot how to trap Jesus into saying something for which he could be arrested. They sent some of their disciples, along with the supporters of Herod, to meet with him. “Teacher,” they said, “we know how honest you are. You teach the way of God truthfully. You are impartial and don’t play favorites. (Matthew 22:15-16) While the Pharisees attempted to find "cause" to kill Jesus, the words they use to describe his actions, and his discipline are truly amazing. They note his unwavering commitment to be honest in all his dealings, impartial in his decisions, and still remain steadfast to his teaching even in the face of opposition. Would that the same could be said about all of us! Integrity matters. When the moment comes and those who aren't following Jesus approach you, will they see the same level of commitment and integrity? That's a tough question that must be answered honestly by each of us. Will the truth we live by be evident e...