February 22, 2023

The Bible Edge

Everyone needs an Edge, Believers can have the Bible Edge

1 Peter 3:10-11

For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile: Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it.

Peter knew of which he spoke. For he, singularly, was recorded to have spoken some rash and even disrespectful things. But he learned. In his letter that we call I Peter the Holy Spirit used him to communicate a tremendous truth. That truth? Love for life and this thing of seeing good days is directly tied to the use of the t0ngue. Again, he knew of which he spoke and has given us an edge, a Bible Edge for having a good life.

James wrote this: But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. James 3:8 So how can one control their tongue? A good starting point is to know what Jesus said on the matter. In Luke 6:45 He said: A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh. So, if a person has difficulty saying the wrong things, evil things, that person needs a dramatic change of heart.

There are many ways that a heart can be changed. Most often though it seems that heartbreak is the starting point. When a heart has been broken it is opened up to new inputs (for lack of a better word). Let’s say that someone has difficulty showing compassion to others. But through heartbreak and receiving compassion from people who care, that person has a seed of compassion placed in their heart. That seed may well grow thereby making their heart compassionate. From which their mouth will utter compassionate words that before were missing. The heart was broken, being opened it learned compassion that in turn gave them the words of compassion to speak.

Heartbreak is not easy, nor is it something for which we wish. Therefore, God has a remedy. His remedy to a change of heart is given to us in today’s two verses. The Lord God, through Peter indicates that we can choose to use the tongue appropriately. Evidently God has given us the ability to change our heart thereby changing our words. Isn’t it more desired to change our heart, thereby our words, on purpose through the exercise of free will than to suffer the pain of heartbreak? It would seem so.

The edge one needs to change their heart and their speech is to know this. You can change your heart thereby changing your speech. It is possible. Peter 3:10-11 proves it. For all the peaceful attributes listed in these two verses always start with words and are followed by actions. Words and actions of a peaceful heart filled with good things.

William Howe, Ph.D.