Even worse than humanity's general tendency to use our tongues as swords is the fact that so many Christians do it to each other. It has always been so, because we are being perfected but few if any among us are perfected yet. But we must not accept this state of affairs. St. Paul, writing … Continue reading Christian vs. Christian: Stop Tearing Each Other Apart
John Bunyan's The Pilgrim's Progress presents an allegory of the spiritual journey in the form of a dream in which a man named Christian leaves his home in the City of Destruction and undertakes a journey to the Celestial City. Christian meets many people on the hazard-ridden road to which he has been pointed by Evangelist. … Continue reading Bunyan’s Christian Meets Talkative: All Talk and No Action
A soft answer turns back wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. Proverbs 15:1 The anger of man does not work the righteousness of God. --James 1:20 How often we excuse our angry words, blaming others for our own actions. How often we confuse anger with strength and gentleness with weakness! There is a … Continue reading When Tempted to Fire Back, Remember This
Set a guard before my mouth, Lord. Keep watch over the door of my lips. Psalm 141:3 This post is part of a series (see A Lenten Invitation from a Babbling Brook: Focus on Speech and Silence). To receive new installments, you’re invited to Follow Sparrowfare by placing your email address in the box in … Continue reading A Prayer for a Guarded Tongue
They say she went to the well at noon to avoid the gossipy glances of the community's women who gathered there to chat when it was cooler. They saw her as we all would: a woman who'd "been around the block," living with a guy after having blown through five marriages. They saw a failure. … Continue reading The Moral Blindness Behind Our Gossip
Taming the tongue is daunting, a seemingly impossible task for those of us who are naturally wordy. Several years ago I found hope in Paula Huston's book, The Holy Way: Practices for a Simple Life. Huston, a creative nonfiction teacher, National Endowment of the Arts Fellow and author of nine books, is obviously gifted with … Continue reading A Fellow Babbling Brook Learns to Tame Her Tongue
Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, that you may know how to respond. (Colossians 4:6) When out with friends and the topic is critical of another, let my speech be gracious and kind, protective of the other's dignity. When the tone turns anti-Christian, let my speech be gracious, seasoned with the salt … Continue reading A Simple Rule for Speech
"There is practically no society or gathering in which people do not denigrate others who are absent, discharging their critical zeal upon them. Backbiting is a common, vulgar evil, and a horrible, deadly one." Sins of the Tongue, the source of this quote, is a little book written by a French priest in 1877. In … Continue reading Backbiting: A “Common, Vulgar Evil”
