Taming the Tongue

“…no man can tame the tongue…from the same mouth comes blessing and cursing.” James 3:8

We really have to be very careful about our speech even in our anger, because it can haunt other people. A staff of ours inadvertently told a supplier something that was supposed to be confidential because it was detrimental to our negotiations. I got so mad that I told the staff that if she was like that, she could not be successful in business. Now that our staff is not with us anymore, and she has tried to go into business for herself, she remembers what I said, and blames me for her failures. We never expect that our words will have long lasting, detrimental effects. Even if we apologize, as I have done, and tried to help, giving suggestions, the damage has been done.

On the positive side, when we bless others with our words, it can also have long lasting and wonderful results. When Dodie Osteen was young, she got polio and as a result she had one foot shorter than the other. She was quite self conscious about that as she wore different sized shoes, and they did not look nice. But one day, Dr TL Osbourne said, “Look at Dodie, she walks like a Princess.” Ever since then, Dodie still hears those words in her head. “I see myself walking like a Princess,” she says.

Teachers have so much influence over their students, and can imbue them with self confidence if they recognize their gifts and encourage them to use it. Same with parents, and managers, and husbands and wives. Everybody really! We all have that amazing tool, the tongue, that can make or break people. Let us all be encouragers, and inspirers, and bless others with our words.