Taming the Tongue, Tuesday!

Matthew 23: 1 - 6

Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: 

The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat. So you must obey them and do everything they tell you. 

But do not do what they do. for they do not practice what they preach. They tie up heavy loads and put them on men's shoulders, 

but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.  

Everything they do is done for men to see: 

they make their phylacteries wide and the tassels on their garments long; 

they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues; they love to be greeted in the marketplaces and to have men call them 'Rabbi.

What would these verses have to do with Taming our tongues...

well can you tell the emphasis on those verse is what I'm emphasising...

Sunday night I was in group of people and they were all talking, commenting on what they had learned in the lesson.  Some of the people were eloquent...having a natural way with the spoken word...their comments were so cohesive and thought provocing.

Others were clumsy but still got their point across...that would be me in that catagory...I don't have nerves when I speak...but it never comes out like it was in my head.

and then there was a woman who didn't speak at all.  I asked her if I could use her as an example and she said yes....she doesn't talk in large groups...she can in small...but not in large.  I looked over at her with a smile and she smiled back...but later she told me she was terrified...she had something to say...but was too scared to say it.

I told her that there were some folks who spoke, who were eloquent, who looked really good and sounded really good...but I know they aren't "practicing what they preach."  I didn't tell her this but...

they are filled with slander, malice and gossip.

They look good on the outside...they put "laws" on folks and themselves...

but they don't practice what they preach.

they commented on evil...but I've seen them be evil in many instances.

I didn't tell her...but I should have...how many of the people who chose not to speak...were people in private who 

do practice what they preach.

They aren't perfect but they always lift me up when I see them, they have helped my family and others as well.  This woman went out of her way when my husband was up against some "church madness" with SHOWERING ...I mean showering our family with love, time, attention, gifts, money (she didn't need to do the gifts and money...but it was nice)... she didn't know I knew...but I knew who she was behind it.

The whole point I'm trying to say is... what we say in public is one thing...

but what we do behind closed doors, what we say behind closed doors...when no one is looking (or we think no one is looking) is more important to God.  

Many people talked that night, most practiced what they preach, 

and some had "talk" that is long and "practice" that is short... '

but it's more important to talk less and practice "what you preach" more!