When I enter a library or public building, I often notice a sign that says, “No deadly weapons allowed.”
This confuses me! Does this mean that I should park my tongue before I enter the building? Because a tongue can be a deadly weapon. Maybe this is why silence is encouraged in libraries.
A challenging saying that reveals the effect of harsh words is, “Who steals my purse steals trash. Who steals my good name steals everything.”
In the past, many immigrants to our country were often concerned about their good name.
Encouraging words
Encouraging words can have a powerful effect. Enrico Caruso’s music teacher told him that he had a terrible singing voice. This made the young singer decide to quit singing. His mother encouraged him to keep trying and worked barefooted to pay for his music lessons. This motivated him to become perhaps the world’s greatest tenor. This is why he carried a picture of his mother wherever he went.
The good news is that setbacks in the morning might trigger an angry outburst, but later in the day, they might prompt us to make a few words of prayer and trust in God. Disappointments might prompt us to offer bitter complaints or they might cause us to thank God for the many ways He is taking care of us!
In James 1:26, it says, “Anyone who says he is a Christian but doesn’t control his sharp tongue is just fooling himself, and his religion isn’t worth much.”
My dad noticed that Father Goetzman, my boyhood pastor, would change the subject if the conversation turned to gossiping.
Idle words
In Matthew 12:36-37, Jesus said: “But I say unto you, that every idle word that men speak, they shall give an account of in the day of judgment. For by your words, you shalt be justified, and by your words you shalt be condemned.”
In Ephesians 4:31-32, it says, “Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”
Hitler is one example of the harmful use of the tongue. Unfortunately, he could sway crowds into believing his lies. It is possible to injure another’s good name by telling lies about that person or by revealing hidden faults that should not be revealed.
Powerful words
Words can touch us deeply. In Romans 10: 9-13, it says the powerful words, “If you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe with all your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”
When the Preamble to the U.S. Constitution was read for the first time, the crowd of listeners cheered! Some of the most powerful and effective speeches given in recent centuries were “The Gettysburg Address,” Winston Churchill’s encouraging speech about fear, Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech, some of John F. Kennedy’s speeches, and others.
Though not a speech, after Dad died, Mom told me that Dad was proud of me. Her words still bring tears to my eyes!
Once we have decided how we wish to control our tongue, we can ask God to forgive our sins of the tongue. We can also pray, “Loving God, give me the ability to control my tongue and use it to build people up rather than tear them down! Help me to see the good in others so I can tell others about their goodness! Free me from self-righteousness which can cause me to see the speck in my neighbor’s eyes and ignore the log in my eyes. Help me to use my tongue to help others rather than hurt them. Amen!”
Fr. Donald Lange is a pastor emeritus in the Diocese of Madison.