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She's quite a superstar, a multi-tasker and
doesn't even know the meaning of rest.
Come to think of it, your tongue—very small
compared to the rest of you—is one tough babe. Decked with 10,000 taste buds
enabling you to savor the tiniest of flavors, she too helps you mix and swallow
your food, fight germs, and talk or sing—even create soulful sounds as she
manipulates a trumpet or clarinet.
But even while you sleep, she has to stand
guard to make sure your saliva makes its way to your throat, or else you'll
drool all over your pillow or blanket.
Oh how boring life would be without our all-efficient
tongue! Too efficient that it must be put in check because as hard working as
she is, she could go on overdrive, turning a conversation into a talkathon.
In my book "Going Up: Making Right
Choices at Work," I wrote, "Who uses more words in a day? Many
researchers point to women, with word use ranging from seven thousand to fifty
thousand daily. Guilty as charged! Men, it is said, use between two thousand
and twenty-five thousand...
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"I wonder how many of these words are
spoken to encourage, bring out a smile, trigger laughter or brighten up a sad
expression? And on the other hand, how many words will malign, distress, or
bruise another's spirit, whether uttered deliberately or without caring how
that person would feel?
"Would an inventory of words uttered
in conversations... cause me to bow in shame? 'Did I really say that?'"
Listen to what the bible says about
allowing our tongue have its way (James 3:5-8):
"...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.
"All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles
and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, but no human
being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison."
How many relationships have been broken
because of slander? Neighbors cursing each other because of righteous-than-thou
comments making their way round and round chika-starved
tsimosos and tsismosas.
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Many young people I know deal with
insecurities and low self-esteem issues because of adults or their peers
constantly deriding them or pouring acid on their self-worth with words like,
"Ang bobo mo kasi!"
"You won't amount to anything." "You might as well not have been
born."
So how can I control my tongue even if it
wants to work overtime? By myself I could not.
James 3:7-8—"All kinds of animals,
birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by
mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of
deadly poison."
But by His Holy Spirit who gives wisdom, my
tongue can be put in check.
Proverbs 4:23-24—"Above all else,
guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. Keep your mouth free of
perversity; keep corrupt talk far from your lips."
It's really in our hearts where the issues
of life percolate; they spout through our tongues to spread venom on
unsuspecting ears and hearts.
The tongue is likened to a tiny rudder
which controls the course of a big ship. But lest we forget, a ship has a
captain who directs that rudder to where the ship should be headed.
I oftentimes have a hard time managing my
own life. I'd rather have Jesus be my Captain. That should be the first step to
making sure my tongue doesn't get unwieldy.
Jesus has proven to be no match to life's
troubled waters.
