How Long Will Ye … Break Me In Pieces With Words?

Today’s Passages – Job 19-21; Proverbs 10

(Second Milers also read – Colossians 4 – 1 Thessalonians 3; Memorize – Matthew 6:33)

“Then Job answered and said, How long will ye vex my soul, and break me in pieces with words?” (Job 19:1 & 2)

I did not have to read that long this morning to find the truth from God that I needed.  Job is in the middle of the discourse with his three ‘friends’ who are accusing him of all kinds of wickedness; adding sorrow on top of sorrows.  He is already as low as he can go, but these guys continue to beat him and kick him when he is down; and their weapons are their tongues.

“And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell. … But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.” (James 3:6, 8 )

“Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.” (Ephesians 4:29)

The Bible has so much to say about the deadly nature of the tongue. Why are we so quick to run our mouths when God tells us very plainly that we are to be slow to speak. We all could avoid much of our problems with our mouth by simply not saying anything unless it is absolutely necessary.  If we have to speak at all maybe it would be best if we paused and prayed about what would be the best thing to say.

Job’s friends were not helping him at all; they were making him worse. Remember, the purpose for their visit was to ‘comfort’ him.  Maybe they should have just listened to him; even let him vent a little. Maybe, I should try the same thing.  As a pastor I need to learn to listen more; pray before speaking; and, as much as possible, tell people what God said instead of what I think.

Lord, help me not to kill or maim any more people with my tongue.