TAMING LEVIATHAN

Thomas Hobbes once stated, "words are the counters of wise men, and the money of fools." Jesus put it best, "by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned" (Matt.12:37) True Christian character is to result in Christ like conduct. James 1:26 makes this clear, "if anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless." Later he warns, "out of the same mouth come praise and cursing" (James 3:10).

The real power to build up or destroy lies caged just behind our teeth! The articulation of thoughts either results in good or harm. As Pythagoras once wrote, "a wound from a tongue is worse than a wound from a sword; for the latter affects only the body, the former the spirit." Like a fire out of control or a rudderless ship, the tongue can spread destructive calumny. Untruths or half-truths are deadly poison. Dipping the tongue in the slime of gossip is like writing out a death warrant for a friend.

The etymology of the word "gossip" is insightful. Originally it came from the Anglo-Saxon word "godsibbe" meaning "godparent." The word referred to a sponsor at one's baptism. A "godsibbe" was a very close friend who knew all about you. He was your confidant. it didn't take long for the idea of "knowing about you" to change to "telling all about you," thus giving birth to the present meaning of the word ""gossip."

In The Comedy Of Error, Shakespeare writes, "be not thy tongue thine own shame's orator." The tongue is the orator of praise or cursing. It is the commentary of our real selves. Psalm 45:1 states, "my tongue is the pen of a skillful writer," and Solomon adds, "a word spoken in due season, how good it is" (Prov.15:23). In the play, Don Juan, Byron wrote, "but words are things; and a small drop of ink, falling, like dew, upon a thought produces that which makes thousands, perhaps millions, think."

When James asks, "can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs?" (James 3:12), he was linking character to conduct. In other words, the quality of character will be reflected in the quality of our conduct. Just as a good tree is judged by the kind of fruit it produces, so Christian character is measured by the words we use and the life we live.

Since the tongue is an untamed monster, control is imperative. Our tongue should reflect His control. Psalm 34:13 warns us to "keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking lies." Later he prays, "set a guard over my mouth, O Lord, keep watch over the door of my lips" (Ps.141:3). So how do we cage this monster?

First, begin with confession. John reminds us that through confession the cleansing blood of Christ removes all sin (I John 1:7,9). However, freedom from guilt requires that we also make right any offense done to another person. "Confess your sins to each other so that you may be healed" (James 5:16)

The second step is submission. As Jesus abdicated all personal rights to the will of the Father, so we are to turn over the reigns of control to His will. Under His control God renews our minds by introducing thoughts that are commensurate with His holy character. In the words of Paul, "whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, and admirable, think about such things...put into practice" ((Phil.4:8,9).

The third step is to walk the talk. In the play Hamlet, Shakespeare writes, "to thine own self be true, and it must follow, as the night the day, thou canst not then be false to any man." James puts it succinctly, "be doers of the word and not hearers only," and Paul warns, "speak the truth in love" (Eph.4:15). It is easy to "speak," even to "speak the truth," but unless it is spoken in "love," it is like a "resounding gong or clanging cymbal" ((I Cor.13:11).

If we are to reflect Christ-likeness we must cage that monster behind our teeth!