The Cancer of Criticism: Truth About the Tongue

Most of us had our mouths closed when we were baptized.  The tongue needs to be baptized, too.

 

 

     "LET NOT MANY OF YOU BECOME TEACHERS" (v. 1).

 

Official teaching roles?  "If any man aspires to the office of overseer (Pastor) it is a great work, he desires to do" (1 Timothy 3:1).  Go into all the world. . .teaching.  "Would that all the Lord's people were prophets" (Numbers 11:29).

 

The general tone of Scripture toward speaking God's word is encouragement!

 

James more likely means, "Let not many of you become critics" (John Calvin).

 

 

     "Everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger" (1:19).

 

     "Do not speak against one another, brethren.  He who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks against the law and judges the law. . .There is only one Lawgiver and Judge. . .but who are you to judge your neighbor?" (James 4:11-12).

 

 

 

 

"It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled or where the doer of deeds could have done better.  The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, who knows the great enthusiasms. . .who spends himself for a worthy cause" (Theodore Roosevelt).

 

 

"If it is very painful for you to criticize your friend, you are safe in doing it.  But if you take the slightest pleasure in it, that is the time to hold your tongue" (Alice Miller).

 

Parents

 

 

 

 

 

Remember JESUS--"No one has ever spoken like this man" (John 7:46).  He controlled His tongue.  Not the other way round.

 

     "For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart. The good man brings out of his good treasure that which is good, and the evil man brings out of his evil treasure what is evil" (Matthew 12:34-35).

 

    No one can tame the tongue (v. 8).  The mature man has to bridle the tongue (v. 2)???

 

 

 

 

     "Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear.  Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.  Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.  Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you" (Ephesians 4:29-32).

 

 

 

     "The one who desires life, to love and see good days, must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit" (1 Peter 3:10).

 

 

 

     "Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer" (Psalm 19:14).

 

 

 

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Sweet symbol of Pentecost.

 

     "The Lord has given me the tongue of a disciple that I may know how to sustain the weary with a word.  He awakens me morning by morning.  He awakens my ear to listen as a disciple" (Isaiah 50:4).