Magnets & Silverware

Question:
Whoops! Your tongue is now a magnet. Whatever will you use for silverware?

Magnet: Any piece of iron or certain other materials that has the property of attracting similiar material

Our tongue is like a magnet. Whatever we spew out of it is what will be drawn back to us. Jesus said that "Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh" (Mat. 12:34). According to Proverbs 18:21, "Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof." In James 3:6, the Bible says that the tongue is "a fire, a world of iniquity", and James 3:8 calls the tongue a "deadly poison."

The Lying Tongue
Proverbs 25:18 says, "A man that beareth false witness against his neighbour is a maul, and a sword, and a sharp arrow." A lying tongue is nothing more than a misuse of a deadly weapon. It can be used to harm others.

The Proud Tongue
Psalm 12:3-4 says, "The Lord shall cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that speaketh proud things: Who have said, With our tongue will we prevail; our lips are our own: who is lord over us?" "Christians" who have proud tongues have closed ears and minds! They learn very little from anyone else. They are hard to teach or reason with because they think they know everything.

The Backbiting Tongue
Proverbs 25:23 and Romans 1:30 make mention of a backbiting tongue. A backbiter is someone who uses their tongue against you when you aren't present. They stir up problems instead of trying to solve them. They would rather talk about the preacher than talk to him. They prefer to talk about someone in the church with a problem than offer them words of encouragement. "Beware of the backbiters, especially the ones who sow discord among brethren" (Pro. 6:19)!

The Talebearing Tongue
Proverbs 18:8 says, "The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly." Leviticus 19:16 says, "Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer among thy people. . ." Talebearing spreads hurtful information around, and Satan uses this information to hinder and tear down God's work.

We are responsible for the words that we speak. "But I say unto you, That every careless word that men shall speak, they shall render account for it in the day of judgment. For by your words you shall be justified, and by your words you shall be condemned." (Matt. 12:36-37) Our own words snare us. (Prov. 6:2) We are ensnared by vows and promises spoken, but not kept. By reckless criticisms and rash judgments. "How can you, being evil, speak what is good? For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart. The good man out of his good treasure brings forth what is good; and the evil man out of his evil treasure brings forth what is evil."(Matt. 12:34-35)

The strongest thing is surely said in Proverbs 18:21 -"Death and life are in the power of the tongue..." I want to be like David in Psalms 39:1- "I will guard my ways, that I may not sin with my tongue; I will guard my mouth as with a muzzle." Colossians 4:6 says, "Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned, as it were, with salt."

Psalm 51:19 cries "Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me." I want this to be my cry. I want God to help me to - "Keep thy tongue from evil and thy lips from speaking guile", as found in Psalms 34:13. I want the following to be my prayer - "Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer." Psalms 19:14

Remember, a magnet is a material that has the property of attracting similiar material. So, if I let good things come from my mouth then my tongue is a magnet for good things and I won't have to worry about what will come back to me. If my tongue is a magnet then I want His Word to be my silverware.