TRICKY TONGUEOne thing I used to tell my girls growing up was “know what you are good at and know what you stink at”. I tried to teach them to be aware of their hearts condition in any given situation. If you stink at giving forgiveness, then own it. Be aware of it. If you were wrong in a situation, own it as well ! But as I have matured in my faith, I’m not really sure I can fully know all that apart from the working of the Holy Spirit’s guidance in our lives. The character trait I was trying to mature in them was the importance of them knowing their own heart. At the very least they needed to be honest with themselves about who they truly were.
The two bundles of scriptures I’ve listed below come to mind in processing the one liner I shared in the meme. I’ve listed them here for you to ponder on.
Jeremiah 17:9 ( KJV )
The heart is deceitful above all else, and desperately wicked; Who can know it? James 3:8-12 ( KJV)
But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men which are made after the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren these things ought not to be. Doth a foundation send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter? Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh.
I didn’t list all of James chapter 3 but you totally could. James is a wealth of practical Christian living and pulls no punches.
Jeremiah just slams the fact that I can not even know my own heart. My fleshly perspective can’t even hold a candle to being able to truly see the nastiness of my heart. It can’t apart from the working of God in my life. So when I sense I need to speak my peace, from a heart that I honestly can even trust, with a mouth that I for sure can’t trust (apart from the Holy Spirits guardrail across my mouth) , how in the Sam Hill am I going to speak my peace from a place that would bring healing to anyone? Do you see where I am going with this train of thought?
When I feel the need to speak my peace, am I sure my heart is at peace before I speak?
When I feel the need to speak my peace…. that’s usually not from a place of healing but from my past trauma. Yeah… sit there a bit….
If I know my heart is deceitfully wicked and that my mouth is a wicked tool….
I would be very spiritual inept to keep my trap shut until I know my heart, thoughts and tongue are under Holy Spirit control.
Love ya, Marni | 
