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The book of James tells us that our religion is worthless if we are not able to control our tongue. How good are you at controlling your tongue?
Mama always said, "If you don't have anything good to say, don't say anything at all." Mama's words are good words to live by. Unfortunately, if we're really honest with ourselves, we rarely heed them.
If you've been a tech director for any amount of time you've probably experienced a fair share of conflict. Emotions get involved, tempers flare, and words are often spoken without thought. In the heat of the moment we can say things without thinking and cause hurt and pain to those that serve with us. The old adage "sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me" couldn't be further from the truth. We all know that words can, in fact, hurt. And we all probably have memories of unkind words that were spoken towards us that we can still replay in our minds even till this day.
Are the words that you say to your volunteers, your leaders, and the members of your church helpful and full of grace? Or are they pointed and sarcastic? Veiled rudeness and bitterness instead of encouraging and uplifting?
James 1:26 tells us: If you claim to be religious but don't control your tongue, you are fooling yourself, and your religion is worthless.
Did you read that verse? Or did you just skip over it? Take a moment and read it again. James tells us that our religion is worthless if we are not able to control our tongue. How good are you at controlling your tongue?
Do you think before you speak, or do you just let anything fly out of your mouth? For some reason many technical directors and volunteers that I have met have a very dry sense of humor. They are witty and sometimes sarcastic. I even knew one guy who claimed that sarcasm was his spiritual gift!
Prove that your life in Christ is real and genuine by controlling your tongue and the things that you speak. Speak life, not death. Use your words to build people up, not tear them down.
Sometimes these things are all in good fun, but sometimes the sarcasm just comes out as a cutting remark. We can try to chuckle it away, but we have really just demonstrated that we do not have control over our tongue. We can say “I was just joking around,” but the wound was already made.
I understand the stress that comes along with being a tech director, and there can be times where the last thing on your mind is being polite. Perhaps you are even justified in really letting someone have a good “tongue whipping.” However, it is more important that we control our tongue.
One of the real spiritual gifts that God gives us is the gift of encouragement. When you feel the urge to launch off a biting comment to someone or post a snippy comment online take a few moments and ask yourself if you are using encouraging words. Or are you using words that will tear people down?
Prove that your life in Christ is real and genuine by controlling your tongue and the things that you speak. Speak life, not death. Use your words to build people up, not tear them down. Do you know someone who always says nice things to you when you talk to them? You will always want to be around them because they are encouraging you and believing in you and inspiring you to greater things. Be that person for your family. Be that person for the people under your influence. Be that person for all the people you come in contact with.
