The saying is kind of silly isn't it? But in essence, it means to remain silent. Like me, do you find yourself in situations where if you spoke your mind it would just end up getting you into trouble? I'm an emotional person, I tend to react right away and sometimes it can be pretty intense. Not extreme, I don't think, but definitely a little over the top which I am and have been working on. As I have grown over the years, I have found that not reacting right away and taking the situation to prayer and council with my heavenly father and loved ones (usually my husband and my mom), it helps me to handle the situation much better. If not, I would end up saying something I either regretted or I would just get myself really worked up with anger or sometimes sadness.
About our tongues:
With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so. Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening? Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh (James 3: 9-12 NKJV).
It makes sense, doesn't it? The mouth can be a sharp weapon if you allow it to be so-- either for evil or for blessing/up lifting. This week, my husband and I have been studying the book of James in the Bible together, and this particular passage really hit home with me, which is why I'm writing this post. A spring cannot produce both salt and fresh water, so our mouths should also not produce cursing and blessing. As Christians, we need to strive to be Christ-like and speak as He would speak. This is not always easy, after all we are mere human, however we should be making it a daily challenge to be like and speak like Christ. I believe the more you work on it and pray for God's strength and guidance to do so, it will become easier and easier and just a part of who you are (you won't have to try as hard, so to speak).
I don't want loved ones and even strangers to look at me and be confused on who I am. I want to speak more blessings and uplifting positive messages than spending time cursing people and being angry at them. I want to produce only fresh water from the spring of my mouth, not bitter. So in the those moments I find myself off guard to a rude comment being made about me, or any other confrontation coming my way, I am working on holding my tongue (being silent), taking it to prayer and speaking only truth and love. Will you too? Let's build one another up and hold each other accountable in love. Let's hold our tongues!
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