Hold Your Fire

Nobody likes it when they are questioned.

Nobody likes to to be judged and called out.

Nobody like to be the center of someone else's rampage.

Nobody like to have their morals questioned.

Nobody likes to be called a liar to their face.

Nobody like to be put down and called stupid.

And above all else nobody likes to have to remain silent while their confronter attacks them.

Hold your fire!!

When I say that, I'm not speaking in a literal sense (although refraining from shooting someone is a very good thing), I'm speaking in a more figurative sense.

Which is where the title came from. The tongue is a deadly weapon of destruction (much like a gun, sword, bomb, or fire) that slays thousands and injuries an unimaginable number.

In comparison to our entire stature, the tongue is a very small part of our body, but it can cause more damage to a person than you can ever know!

Words sting the deepest and hurt the most, because it is not an external ailment that can be cured by a band-aid or a trip to the local family doctor. 
A broken arm will heal itself in a few months when properly tended too and looked after, but a broken heart can go years without even being addressed because the person doesn't want to talk about it and the injury is invisible to the human eye. No one else can see it.


The Bible says in James 3:
            "...Consider ships: Though very large and driven by fierce winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. So too, though the tongue is a small part of the body, it boasts great things. Consider how large a forest a small fire ignites. And the tongue is a fire. The tongue, a world of unrighteousness, is placed among the parts of our bodies. It pollutes the whole body, sets the course of life on fire, and is set on fire by hell. Every sea creature, reptile, bird, or animal is tamed and has been tamed by man, but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. We praise our Lord and Father with it, and we curse men who are made in God’s likeness with it. Praising and cursing come out of the same mouth. My brothers, these things should not be this way.  Does a spring pour out sweet and bitter water from the same opening?  Can a fig tree produce olives, my brothers, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a saltwater spring yield fresh water..."

What do you get out of that?

What I get is:

1. The tongue is small and powerful 
2. The tongue is hard to control
3. We should not use our tongue for both good and evil   

You may be thinking to yourself, "Yea, I know that...but they started it!" "It's there fault!" "It's their tongue that is out of control! I'm just defending my self/another person." "They needed to be put in their place!"

Well, the Bible also says in Romans 12:19,
          "....Friends, do not avenge yourselves; instead, leave room for His wrath. For it is written: Vengeance belongs to Me; I will repay, says the Lord..." 

If you are a child of God (and I hope you are), the Lord will protect you. He will fight your battles for you all you have to do is trust Him. 
It's like the whole mama bear and baby bear scenario, don't mess with a mama bear's cub cause she will be right around the corner ready to put a hurting on your butt if you harm her little one.
God is the same way, He won't let someone harm is children and get away with it.


Now, don't take this the wrong way. I'm not trying to put on a "holier than thou" facade and tell you I am perfect in this area. Because believe me, I am FAR from it. Like it said in James, no one can tame the tongue. Not me. Not you. Not anybody.
 
But what I can say is that I have been on both ends of the equation. I have said some hurtful things to people out of spite and had to humble myself, go to them and apologize for my hurtful words.

But many more time I have been on the receiving end of hurtful words. I have (recently in fact) been called "hypocrite", "stupid", "un-qualified",  "annoying", and "full of ****" 
I have also had those whom I love dearly talked about to me in a negative light (which in my mind is far worse than having myself called out.)


I can't tell you how easy it is in the heat of the moment to attack right back. To point out their flaws and imperfections just as quickly as they point out mine. But what good will that do in the long? Will it change anything, or just add fuel to the fire?


This is something I deal with on a daily basis. But I'm working on it. And that's all anyone can ask me. 


I've never claimed to be perfect, and I never will.


Just think before you speak. Take time to cool off. Keep any rude comments or opinions to yourself. Just because you disagree with something someone is doing, doesn't mean they are wrong and you are right.


Go back to what you were told as a child..."If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all."
Repeat that every time you're about to open your mouth... and if that don't work, carry duct tape around in your pocket! It ain't that expensive and it comes in funky designs ;)

The tongue like a sharp knife... Kills without drawing blood.

The best time for you to hold your tongue is the time you feel you must say something or bust.

Tell a girl she’s pretty; she won’t believe you. Tell a girl she’s ugly; she’ll remember it forever.

If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all.

If it's very painful for you to criticize your friends - you're safe in doing it. But if you take the slightest pleasure in it, that's the time to hold your tongue.

Live...Laugh...Love
Until Next Time,
Racheal <3