Are You a Flame Thrower?

There are a multitude of scriptures that talk about the most unruly part of our body (the tongue), which has the capability of starting fires.

In my growing up years we did not have the social media outlets that we have today. The bulk of our contact with people was either face to face or through letters. We now have emails, Internet, Facebook, Twitter, and a multitude of other social media outlets. These outlets encourage people to say exactly what they think without any filters and they say things they would never say face to face to someone.

I heard a story recently about the three filters (The Test of Three) of Socrates. The story went like this. A person wanted to tell Socrates something about one of his students. Socrates stopped the person and asked them three questions:

1. Are you absolutely sure what you want to tell me about this student is the truth?
2. Is what you are about to tell me about my student something good?
3. Is what you are about to tell me about my student going to be useful to me?

The person being asked these questions by Socrates answered in the negative to each of these questions. Now, listen to the response of Socrates. “If what you want to tell me is neither True (you just heard from another person), nor Good, nor even Useful, why tell it to me at all.”

It is amazing to me how many marriages, relationships, and even businesses have been burned down because people have not learned about the power of the tongue. Socrates got it! What he was trying to teach this person was to think before they spoke. The Bible calls it quick to listen and slow to speak or that we should study to be quiet. It’s time we Christians realize we need to start guarding our heart because what is in our heart in abundance will eventually come out our mouth. If things like hate, hurt, bitterness, anger, or unforgiveness are in our heart they will eventually come out our mouth. If love, healing, forgiveness, and freedom are in our heart then that is what will come out of our mouth and that is what we need to be aiming for.

Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: (James 1:9)

And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you; (1 Thessalonians 4:11)

Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof. (Proverbs 18:21)

For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind: But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be. (James 3:7-10)