Justin Lytle English 12/8/13

The TongueWhere Thoughts and Ideas Enter the World of Reality and Create
When we were born God gave us a body of flesh and bones, and instructed us to govern ourselves and cast out the natural man. Our heart and mind allows our spirits to control the rest of our body. The body is a complex set of tools with which we can create; whether we create good or whether we create evil is up to us. The human tongue is a tool which has immense power of influence for both good and evil. We must always be conscious of it, never letting the natural man use or take control of it. We and those within our power of influence will reap the culmination of its labors. The tongue may at times look insignificant compared to the other members of our body. However, the truth is that our tongue reflects our emotions and is the bridge between dreams and reality. In the Bible we read Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth.(James 3:4) A ship has great potential to move, to go places. The ship represents the potential we have as children of God to move forward, to learn, and to grow. The fierce winds that drive the ship are our desires and the drive we have to do and become. The helm is our tongue which ultimately determines where we will go. Our brain is the captain which stands at the helm controlling the ship.

Think of when your mother asks you to do the dishes. You have several choices. Let us look at one response: Mom! I washed the dishes yesterday; Truman hasnt picked up a scrub brush for a week! He just had a birthday though, he deserves a break. Mom, emphasis on the word had; my birthday is closer than his is! I need a break! Can I go play with Isaac? Youre probably not going to get very far with that one. Lets look at another. Sure Mom, Ill go do the dishes. When Im done may I go play with Isaac? No matter how hard you try youre going to end up doing the dishes anyways; do you think that fighting with your mother, in an epic battle of lame excuses and nonsensical words, is going to aid you in getting what you want? Sometimes the dishes may not be your job, sometimes it really should be Truman that picks up the scrub brush, but theres an amazing secret that solves the equation of getting what you want. The more you help without a grudge, the more willing your parents will be to let you spend time with your friends. Their opinion of you and there trust will increase, and trust opens the doors of freedom. Your tongue can help you in your cause or it can enslave you. Many people frequently use sarcasm. The definition of sarcasm, according to Webster, is the use of words that mean the opposite of what you really want to say especially in order to insult someone, to show irritation, or to be funny. Most of us have used sarcasm to insult or hurt someone. The damage that we inflict upon our fellow man is unfathomable. Many do this on a daily basis, often multiple times a day. Many humans believe that by putting someone down or making them look inferior, we can rise above them. In reality, the more rocks we dig up to throw at a man, the less stable the ground beneath us becomes, and we fall into that pit of destruction we ourselves have dug. By destroying others, we are destroyed; we look inferior, lose our friends, feel melancholy, and become confused. The truth is that those who use words

to uplift and serve others are also lifted up by others. The destroying stops, the building resumes, self-esteems are fortified, and peace thrives. We all know teasing can be fun; it can be used used for getting attention, showing love to a family member or friend, and its one of the ultimate flirting weapons. Although f un, there is definitely a time to stop. According to Webster, the word tease means: to laugh at and criticize (someone) in a way that is either friendly and playful or cruel and unkind . When the teasing is no longer uplifting and playful or it is making another person feel uncomfortable, things can quickly get out of hand. It is no longer a game, but a battle. The person being teased feels like he or she is being attacked and they erect barriers to shut you out. And if it goes much beyond that, the person will block you out of their life because they dont feel safe around you. Knowing when to stop teasing is crucial; if you dont know where the limits are then stay away from teasing altogether. Be conscious of the people around you. Dont let your tongue run away with the conversation, instead bridle it or it will bridle you. A good example of inappropriate teasing is when Bilbo, the hobbit, teases a powerful dragon. Long story short, Bilbo loses the hair of his head and toes as he comes within an inch of his life. Moral of the story, dont tease a dragon! Have you ever heard the saying, what you say is what you are? Well believe it or not, this statement is true. The tongue has such an influence on us and those who are within earshot. It reveals to all who listen who we really are and who we have become. Our vocabulary is the basis of what we say and know, and the way we use it shows the world who we have grown to be. Incompetent words that are degrading should be removed from our vocabulary to

save us from stupid mistakes. If we use words that are dumb we look dumb; if we use words that are smart, and use them well, we look smart. If we spend our time learning, growing, and uplifting others then we will be thought of as giants among men. Low men use low words and never progress; high men use words that are high or uplifting. They learn, grow, and become more then what they once were. Real men and women live to become giants, and then they grow some more. Many individuals feel the need to be leaders, but dont feel they have the ability to speak well and move their audience. We learn from The Book of Mormon that we dont need to be eloquent speakers to move our audience as long as we speak with the power of the Holy Ghost. 2 Nephi 32:2 reads, Do ye not remember that I said unto you that after ye had received the Holy Ghost ye could speak with the tongue of angels? And now, how could ye speak with the tongue of angels save it were by the Holy Ghost? I want to emphasize the word angels. What are angels? Where do they come from? What do they do? Angels are messengers of God and theyre continually engaged in His plan of happiness. So what does this scripture mean when it says we can speak with the tongue of angels by the power of the Spirit? Does it mean that when we speak the earth will shake and all who stand against us will fall into a chasm of earth? Probably not, but it does mean that our power of influence will increase as we grow into the spiritual giant we were meant to be. The tongue is where our ideas, thoughts, and fantasies enter the physical world and become a living reality for all who listen. The gift of language, expressed through the tongue, can bring people together or tear them apart. Through this gift we can learn and grow, create

or destroy. Conversing with others allows us to see the world in different light. What we say is either positive or negative, with no middle ground. Either we make life happier and clearer for those around us or we turn on the fog machines and let the negative voice wreak havoc on the world. James 3:2 reads, For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body. What a statement; if we offend not in word then we are perfect, and able to govern the entire body. Governing the tongue is not easy, but will help us to progress, be happy, and make a difference. As we control what we say and how we say it, our relationships will improve and our friends will think highly of us. The human tongue is a beast which must be tamed; a shape shifter who is ever changing its nature and will. Ultimately we serve either God or the devil. This life is where we must learn to control the human tongue, because at the end of this life it will not be subject to both, but to one or the other.