Lynda MacDonald - BLESSINGS OR CURSES

SPEAKING BLESSINGS OR CURSES

Lynda MacDonald, Nova Scotia

“The tongue has power over life and death; those who indulge in it must eat its fruit.” Proverbs 18:21

Ya’akov 3: 5-18 (James) tells us – The tongue is a tiny part of the body, yet it boasts great things. See how a little fire sets a whole forest ablaze! 6 Yes, the tongue is a fire, a world of wickedness. The tongue is so placed in our body that it defiles every part of it, setting ablaze the whole of our life; and it is set on fire by Gei-Hinnom itself. 7 For people have tamed and continue to tame all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures; 8 but the tongue no one can tame - it is an unstable and evil thing, full of death-dealing poison! 9 With it we bless ADONAI, the Father; and with it we curse people, who were made in the image of God. 10 Out of the same mouth come blessing and cursing! Brothers, it isn't right for things to be this way. 11 A spring doesn't send both fresh and bitter water from the same opening, does it? 12 Can a fig tree yield olives, my brothers? Or a grapevine, figs? Neither does salt-water produce fresh.

13 Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him demonstrate it by his good way of life, by actions done in the humility that grows out of wisdom. 14 But if you harbour in your hearts bitter jealousy and selfish ambition, don't boast and attack the truth with lies! 15 This wisdom is not the kind that comes down from above; on the contrary, it is worldly, unspiritual, and demonic. 16 For where there are jealousy and selfish ambition, there will be disharmony and every foul practice. 17 But the wisdom from above is, first of all, pure, then peaceful, kind, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. 18 And peacemakers who sow seed in peace raise a harvest of righteousness. (CJB)

We read in scripture so clear a directive about the way we are to speak. As humans, we need to think first and then speak. So, a thought process occurs then our brain feeds the information to our tongue.

Believers are taught here in scripture that although the tongue is a tiny part of the body yet, it boasts of great things.

James explains that the tongue is an unstable and evil thing. Out of the mouth comes both blessing and cursing.

The writer goes on to describe what wisdom and understanding are and he links them to how one acts.

From the first part of the chapter, we can see that James links the tongue and evil acts together.

We can clearly see that scripture teaches us that the motive behind evil acts with our tongue is jealously and selfish ambitions.

The Hebrew language has an expression for this. It is called “Loshan Hora”. We would describe it as gossip.

Gossip can be either false tales or truth but the evil comes from the motive behind it.

In Jewish living, it is taught that Loshan Hora causes 3 murders – the murder of the one spreading it, the murder of the one hearing it and the murder of the one talked about.

I believe that it carries a great truth. I also understand that believers would learn much to see gossip in this light.

I personally came to learn a great lesson from The Most High in this area. All to often, we use the excuse of “sharing a prayer need” but that is a disguise to spread gossip.

Now the secret is to know the difference between really caring about a person as compared to spreading gossip about them.

Being in ministry, I really needed to know how God saw this. He was the only one that could truly explain how we could walk so as to be “peacemakers who sow seed in peace and raise a harvest of righteousness”. (James 3:18)

All we need to know is found in His Word so I went searching.

Philippians 4:8 “In conclusion, brothers, focus your thoughts on what is true, noble, righteous, pure, lovable or admirable, and of a good report.”

Well! I passed the first test –what is true! I could make sure that the story was true – that would make it acceptable to God.

Maybe???

How about it being noble?

“Noble” means of high excellence. Could it pass that test?

“Righteous” –now there is a word we Gentile believers have no real knowledge about. It refers to us acting in such a way to others so as to neutralize evil affects in their lives. That sounded like how Yeshua acted to people in need. He acted in such a way as to totally re-direct their life-style.

“Pure” –free from pollution. Well- it could be that! It just might be the absolute facts.

“Loveable or admirable” –now, it was getting a little hot in my soul. I could just squeeze it by this watermark. I would say it because I really loved the person. Oh, how I can lie to myself and believe it.

Then I came to the part of the scripture that said “AND”. Not “or” but “and of a good report”. Now I am feeling sick inside for I see the God picture here. I can’t take my words and see which part of the scale they match up to like a paint swatch. I need to look at the whole verse and see how My Father views it.

My conversation needs to be all of these –true, noble, righteous, pure, loveable and admirable AND of a good report. If it meets all of the requirements but misses one –it is gossip and evil. It must fit perfectly to all of the scripture verse. That eliminates every evil intent that I would have –known or unknown to me.

So- now I have the pattern that meets with God’s approval and moves His hand to answer my heart’s cry.

An honest question –what do we do with something we know or hear that doesn’t meet with this guide?

I love what Joyce Meyers says, “Run to the throne and not to the phone.” Get down before God and cry your eyes out asking God to change the circumstances and to keep your thoughts and motives clean.

You will see Him act! You will see you changed! And most of all, you will see Him hug you for loving what He loves.

Now! That is what I want. Do you?

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