Page 177 - Radical Love by Linda Robinson_FEB2025

SESSION 9

Reverend Marcia Martin from Vian United Methodist Church wrote

these sobering words:

“We are quick to avoid the sins of murder, stealing, and drunkenness,

but we often assassinate fellow believers and leave a trail of destruction
by the way we use our tongues. Husbands have stabbed their wives with

words that are as sharp as daggers. Wives have lashed out with tongues

that slice and dice. Parents have devastated their children by repeated
blasts of venom. And children have exploded at their parents with

words that have levelled the entire family like a bomb. The tongue can
express or depress, offend or befriend, affirm or alienate, build or

belittle, comfort or criticise, delight or destroy.”

So, how is the dilemma of an untameable tongue to be solved? Thank
God—it is the work of the Holy Spirit within us.

I think this would be an appropriate moment to pause and ask the Lord
to sanctify our tongues and forgive us for all the times we have used

them to wound and bring death, instead of to heal and bring life.

Let us make the words of Psalm 19:13–14 (TPT) our prayer:

“…Keep cleansing me, God, and keep me from my secret, selfish sins;

may they never rule over me! For only then will I be free from fault and
remain innocent of rebellion. So may the words of my mouth, my

meditation thoughts, and every movement of my heart be always pure
and pleasing, acceptable before your eyes, my only Redeemer, my

Protector-God.”

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