Put a muzzle on your tongue

Good morning. This is a devotional for single adults from Parenting Solo, but the message also applies to single adults without children who may one day marry a single parent and be a step-parent. Feel Free to forward it to a friend.

Scripture: Psalm 39:1 (NIV) I said, “I will watch my ways
and keep my tongue from sin;
I will put a muzzle on my mouth
as long as the wicked are in my presence.”

If I were to look at my life in self-analysis, I would say the two biggest areas of struggle are my mind and my tongue. My head thinks up sin, and my tongue releases vial things on occasion. I can go months on end without yelling or screaming, then suddenly just lose it. David, too, knew he was susceptible to whining about God’s treatment of him. He did not want others hearing him complain because that would put a poor reflection on his relationship with God.

Where is your weakness when it comes to the tongue? Maybe you’re like me, and you tend to swear on occasion. Maybe you are a complainer like David. Maybe you are prone to gossip. Remember your mother’s adage, “If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all.” Mom knew her stuff. How often in life would we be better of if we kept our mouths shut and said nothing? How many times does our pride prod us to get in the last word in an argument? Just zip it.

How do we stop our mouths from mouthing off? David said he would “put a muzzle on my mouth.” What a great idea! But does it work? What we need is accountability and prayer sometimes. We need to share with a fellow believer that we’re struggling with our tongue, and we need to pray for strength. I once paid my son a dollar every time he heard me swear. It broke my propensity to cuss really quickly. Still, my mouth always seems to get me in trouble, and it may always be a thorn in my side.

So what is the big deal with speaking like the heathens? What does it matter if we swear, or gossip or whine? After all, when in Rome … The pagans around you, at work, in your neighborhood, out in public, need to see you act differently then they do. They may be struggling with that same weakness, and if they hear it coming out of your mouth, what does that say about our faith? If God can’t help us control our tongues, what good is he? When you share with a non-believer how you broke your habit, it opens the door to sharing how Christ impacted your life.

How does this apply to my life?

Today’s prayer: Lord, help me to control my tongue and my temper. Every hour, every minute, every second. Don’t let my neighbors hear me swear or take your name in vain. Amen

Doug Mead
Parenting Solo

Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.
Vol. 4, No. 62

This week’s reading plan can be found at http:/www.oneyearbibleonline.com/june.asp?version=51