Beauty Care for the Tongue

The tongue is a muscle. But it is unique in the human body in that all other muscles have a point of extrusion and a point of intrusion. Simply put, that means that every muscle is connected at both ends. Every muscle, that is, except the tongue. It originates at the back of the throat, but has no point of intrusion. It is left free, flapping in the breeze—and usually is stuck in someone else’s business.

Of all parts of the human anatomy, only one member is so utterly wicked that two of the Ten Commandments are given to govern it—and that body part is the tongue. You shalt not take God’s name in vain.  You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

In James, Chapter 3, of the New Testament, the writer explains how the tongue, small though it is, can be very constructive or destructive. He writes of how a small flame can destroy a house, a tiny rudder guides a ship, a bit in a horse’s mouth reins in a huge steed. So with the tongue. It can praise God, bless people, impart truth. Yet the same tongue can curse God, discourage people, sever relationships.

The author of James then goes on to say we’ve trained lions, horses, dogs, cobras, and elephants, yet no one can tame the human tongue.

Indeed, he offers no solutions.I guess it means we humans are going to have to put up with lying, gossip, slander, profanity and discouraging words. And we’re going to have to apologize to one another often for our tongues.

Yet be it forever noted in Scripture that it was Peter’s tongue that denied Christ, swore to the guards, and lied; on the day of Pentecost, that same tongue proclaimed the risen Christ Jesus.

There is hope after all.