Keeping Peace

     How many times have you talked to someone, and they were getting on your nerves, and you just really wanted to tell them to shut up? Or maybe you were talking to someone, and they were talking about this one person, and you had something that you really wanted to say about them. Sometimes, it can be easy to use our mouths to hurt others, and it's very easy to do. But sometimes, we need to keep our mouths closed. And I understand, this is very difficult sometimes. I have the hardest time not being completely and utterly rude sometimes, because I just have the perfect comeback. But in James 3 we read about the tongue. In verse 3 it talks about how our tongues can be like a bit in a horse's mouth. I don't know if you've ever ridden a horse, but I did once, and all you have to do to make it turn is to slightly move the reigns, and the horse turns automatically. It's very easy to say the wrong thing sometimes. All you need is a little push. But we are called to be peacemakers. Matthew 5:9, "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God." Today I want to encourage you to remember that verse, and to remember that even though it can be so easy to say that one little thing that you know you probably shouldn't, but you just really want to. I want to encourage you to tame your tongue, even if it is difficult at times. But a tree falls the way it leans. If you don't learn to tame your tongue, then it will just get easier and easier to stir up trouble. But the more you learn to hold your tongue, no matter how difficult it is at first, it'll get easier and easier the more you try.