Richpond First Baptist
 
There once was a little boy who had a bad temper.  His Father gave him a bag of nails and told him that every time he lost his temper, he must hammer a nail into the back of the fence.

 

The first day the boy had driven 37 nails into the fence.  Over the next few weeks, as he learned to control his anger, the number of nails hammered daily gradually dwindled down.  He discovered it was easier to hold his temper than to drive those nails into the fence.  Finally the day came when the boy didn't lose his temper at all.

He told his father about it and the father suggested that the boy now pull out one nail for each day that he was able to hold his temper. The days passed and the young boy was finally able to tell his father that all the nails were gone.

The father took his son by the hand and led him to the fence.  He said, 'You have done well, my son, but look at the holes in the fence.  The fence will
never be the same.  When you say things in anger, they leave a scar just like this one.  You can put a knife in a man and draw it out.  But It won't matter how many times you say I'm sorry, the wound will still be there.  A verbal wound is as bad as a physical one.




 
So also, the tongue is a small thing, but what enormous damage it can
do. A tiny spark can set a great forest on fire. And the tongue is a flame
of fire. It is full of wickedness that can ruin your whole life. It can
turn the
entire course of your life into a blazing flame of destruction, for it is
set on fire
by hell itself.

Prayer:  Gracious God, our Father, the words we speak are a mirror to our
character. With words, we honor you ...with words we dishonor you.
Guard our tongues from evil and ugly words.  Thank you for the power
you give us to choose our words and use our voice for your good.
Let the words of our mouth be acceptable to you. In the name of Jesus,
AMEN!