WEBVTT

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 Well, if you have your Bibles, look with me this morning to the book of James.

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 I love the book of James. Hope you do.

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 It's one of those practical books that teach us so much about how to live for the Lord Jesus.

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 And we're going to look this morning at chapter 3, verses 1 to 12.

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 So if you have your Bibles, go ahead and turn there.

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 We're speaking this morning about choosing our words wisely.

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 Choosing our words wisely.

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 Most all of us would probably admit, some of you wouldn't have to,

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 but a lot of us would admit that if we've had a struggle in life, it's been with our tongue, right?

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 And I think a lot of times in the church when we talk about the tongue,

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 we think so long as we avoid profanity, that we're in good shape.

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 But that's certainly not the case.

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 There are a lot of ways that you can hurt your testimony and hurt others by what you say.

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 And so words are very, very important.

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 I want to ask you to look with me at James chapter 3, verses 1 to 12.

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 And here's what we're going to do.

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 And guys in the back, this is my fault, not yours, okay?

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 But when we get to the slides, I'm going to change it a little bit.

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 After we read the passage, I'm going to just make the comments as we go,

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 and then we're going to skip those, I think it's four or five points there.

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 We're going to go down to James 1.

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 Look at that and then the concluding remarks.

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 So if you can do that, good.

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 And if you can't, that's on me.

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 Don't worry about it.

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 I'm not going to sweat it, okay?

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 All right, James chapter 3 and verse 1.

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 Not many should become teachers, my brothers, knowing that we will receive a stricter judgment.

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 Now you've heard other admonitions in Scripture along that same line.

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 Paul makes one in his letter to Timothy.

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 And he warns folk about wanting to presume to be a teacher too quickly, right?

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 And I think a lot of times when we read that, if you're not familiar with chapter 3,

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 you think, well, what he's doing is he's saying that you're going to be held to a higher standard.

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 Judgment's going to fall on you if you don't accurately teach the Word of God.

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 And we're worried about missteps theologically and doctrinally, right?

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 So you want to be well-versed in Scripture,

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 and maybe you need to be careful about becoming someone who teaches others the Word of God.

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 But that's not the approach that James is making.

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 He gives us that warning, don't be too quick to teach.

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 But he's got another reason altogether in mind.

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 And he's the only one in Scripture that I can think of off the top of my head who makes this warning.

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 His warning is not because of what they might say when they're standing before their class.

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 His warning has to do with what they'll say when they're not in the presence of their class.

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 In other words, how they talk to others outside the classroom, outside the church building, outside the pulpit,

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 how they speak to their neighbor, how they speak to folk in business,

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 especially, I think, how they speak to their family and how they speak to their friends

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 and those with whom perhaps they have some kind of disagreement.

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 So look at his next warning in verse 2.

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 For we all stumble in many ways.

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 And he's talking specifically about the tongue.

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 And I think everybody here, if we're honest, would say at one time or another,

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 we've stumbled in how we use our tongue.

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 Let me just pause and say, when he talks about the tongue,

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 he's not concerned about this 4 or 5, 6 inch long thing that we call our tongue,

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 that piece of meat that hangs in our mouth, right?

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 He's talking about our speech.

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 It's not our literal tongue that gets us in trouble.

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 That's a metaphor for how we speak, the things we say, right?

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 So he says, for we all stumble in many ways.

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 If anyone does not stumble in what he says,

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 he is a mature man who is also able to control his whole body.

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 I'm going to tell you, somebody who can control their tongue

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 can control every other aspect of their life.

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 They're not going to be prone most times to give in to sexual temptation.

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 They're not going to be prone to allow their feet to take them places they shouldn't go.

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 If you can control your tongue, I'm going to tell you something.

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 You've gone a long way in life in becoming the person that God would have for you to become.

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 And then he gives some illustrations that every one of us can identify with.

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 Look at verse 3.

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 Now, when we put bits in the mouths of horses to make them obey us,

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 we also guide the whole animal.

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 I don't know how many of you love horses, know about horses, ride horses.

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 I'm not in that category.

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 When I was in high school, my junior or senior year, I had a friend who lived on a farm.

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 He had a horse, a couple of horses, and he would invite me out to his house.

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 We'd bird hunt, and then we'd get on those horses, and we'd just ride some.

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 But he's the one who knew all about the horses.

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 He would saddle it, and he would put the bridle in the mouth.

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 But I was amazed the first time I ever got on the back of that horse,

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 when you had that bridle in that horse's mouth.

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 This is a big old strong horse, much more powerful than the person on its back, right?

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 No match in strength at all.

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 But you put that bit in the horse's mouth, and you pull those reins to the left,

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 and he'll go to the left.

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 You pull it to the right.

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 He's going to go to the right.

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 You pull him back, and he's going to stop.

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 That bit controls that huge, huge beast.

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 And he says that's as it ought to be,

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 that rather than the beast control the man,

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 the man controls the beast through the use of the bit.

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 Look at verse 4.

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 And consider ships, though very large and driven by fierce winds,

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 they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot takes them or directs them.

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 I don't know about you, when I think about the marvels of the universe,

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 I marvel a lot of things that probably a lot of you don't.

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 It still amazes me.

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 You can pick up the phone and push some numbers,

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 and somebody talks on the other end of the line, right?

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 I know some of the science behind that, but it's still just a mystery to me.

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 One of the real mysteries to me, though, has always been ships.

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 To see a ship out there in the ocean.

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 I mean, here's this ship that weighs thousands of tons, right?

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 And it's loaded with cargo, and it's loaded with passengers.

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 And I understand buoyancy.

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 I understand how it floats.

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 But it's hard to imagine to me that you can propel that ship exactly in the direction you want it to go.

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 And even before there were motorized ships, when the wind pushed the ships, which is what James is talking about,

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 he says, here's this huge ship.

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 It's loaded down with cargo and with people.

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 And the captain can stand there with one hand on the wheel, right?

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 And he can turn it one way or turn it to another.

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 And because it has a connection to the rudder, that little small rudder,

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 which weighs absolutely nothing compared to the whole ship,

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 he directs that ship either to the left or right or straight.

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 He puts it exactly where it needs to go.

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 Look at verse 5.

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 So too, in the same way, in other words,

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 though the tongue is a small part of the body,

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 it boasts great things.

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 In other words, one of the smallest parts of your body is your tongue, right?

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 It's not nearly as consequential to look at as your eyes or your nose through which you breathe and your mouth

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 or your ears that you hear with or your feet that carry you places

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 or your arms that you're able to carry a load with.

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 It doesn't look nearly as consequential to be.

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 He says, boy, the tongue boasts great, great, great things.

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 And that's true, isn't it?

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 I want to ask you something.

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 Listen, don't raise your hand about this.

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 How many of you in the last 10 years have been in a fist bout with somebody?

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 Don't raise your hand, okay?

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 I hope nobody here.

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 Probably nobody here.

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 Maybe some child here, something like that, right?

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 Maybe you just had a real bad day sometime, okay?

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 But we don't get in trouble with our fist.

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 We don't get in trouble over just the things we think very often.

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 You know what gets us in trouble?

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 One and all, it's our mouth, isn't it?

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 I mean, you think about the troubles you've had most of the time in your life

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 because of the things you've said.

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 Either arguing with somebody or angry with somebody or belittling somebody

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 or you put your foot in your mouth, you said the wrong thing at the wrong time,

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 and sometimes unaware you do it.

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 But our mouths are what get us in trouble more than anything else, isn't it?

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 I mean, with the vast majority of people, that's true.

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 He says, so though the tongue is a small part of the body, it boasts great things.

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 Consider how large a forest of small fire ignites.

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 My son, my dad, my brother, and I were going fishing in Washington State

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 probably about 15 years ago.

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 We booked a flight, and at the last minute we had to change

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 because of forest fires throughout Montana.

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 We had to change our course of action.

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 It burned hundreds of thousands of acres.

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 And that's the point he makes.

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 You just start a little tiny fire, and it gets out of control,

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 and it can destroy a whole hundred thousand acres or more.

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 Verse 6, and the tongue is fire.

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 He says, I want you to understand, you're dealing with a force to be reckoned with

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 when you talk about a person's tongue.

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 You hear the expression, the power of the press.

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 They're talking about the power of words.

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 Man, words are powerful.

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 The tongue is a fire.

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 The tongue, a world of unrighteousness, is placed among the parts of our body.

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 And listen to what he says about it.

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 Two or three things it does.

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 It pollutes the whole body.

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 You know what something is when it's polluted, right?

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 It's contaminated.

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 I mean, it's good one moment, but it's turned bad because it becomes polluted,

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 and it's contaminated.

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 He says the tongue contaminates the whole body.

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 It sets the course of life on fire.

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 Can any of you think of some folk, you hear about it now all the time,

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 because of the woke movement.

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 That's a lot of nonsense at times, but I want to tell you something.

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 There are folks who have legitimately ruined their lives

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 because they spoke things they should never have said.

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 And again, I'm not talking about the modern-day woke movement.

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 I'm talking about they legitimately destroyed their lives

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 by saying things that should never have been said.

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 Sometimes they breach a confidence.

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 Sometimes they tell a lie.

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 Sometimes they speak hatefully.

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 Sometimes they speak cruelly.

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 And they have ruined their lives as well as the lives of others.

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 And so he says it sets the course of life on fire.

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 Many people have ruined their lives because of how they use their tongue.

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 There's a pastor whose name I could call today,

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 and some of you in this crowd, probably not all of you,

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 but some of you in this crowd, a number of you in this crowd,

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 the staff certainly would, would recognize this name

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 because he was considered about seven, eight years ago

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 one of the leading pastors in America.

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 Had one of the largest churches, one of these mega churches

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 out on the West Coast.

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 I mean, it just sprang up overnight,

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 and it was growing by the thousands of folk were attending this guy's church.

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 But you know what they discovered?

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 They discovered he had a bad mouth.

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 And I don't mean he just used profanity.

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 He did that on occasion, even in the pulpit.

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 But here's the other deal.

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 He had a wicked temper.

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 And what ultimately happened is he would turn on members of the congregation,

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 turn on staff folk, turn on family,

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 and he would say outrageous things until finally it cost him his church,

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 cost him, I don't even know about his family,

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 but it cost him his church,

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 and the church ultimately collapsed around him.

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 And so James is right.

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 The tongue, a word of unrighteousness,

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 is placed among the parts of our body.

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 It pollutes the whole body, sets the course of life on fire,

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 and is set on fire by hell.

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 I'm telling you, you better be careful about what you say

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 because it could be that you're being used of the devil in what you say

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 when you're hurtful with your speech.

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 Look at verse 7.

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 Every sea creature, reptile, bird, or animal is tamed and has been tamed by man.

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 Have you all ever been down to Sea World?

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 Man, they'll get those fish, crazy people will,

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 and they'll hold it out and let those killer whales come and eat out of their hand.

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 Ralph's not going to do that.

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 But there are folk who will do that,

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 and it's because they have learned they can train those animals to do certain things.

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 You ever seen those guys at the circus?

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 They lay down on the ground.

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 Or typically they have one of their workers lay down on the ground,

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 and they had that elephant come,

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 and the elephant will put his foot right over their stomach or their back,

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 but he won't put his weight down on them.

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 They trust that animal because they have trained that animal.

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 They will fight with lions and tigers and that sort of thing.

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 My granddaughter has a way with dogs.

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 She's got a little Australian Shepherd, and she's training it right now,

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 and it can throw up a ball, and it's just a puppy,

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 and it can catch that ball in midair and do all kinds of things.

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 When she was a little younger, my daughter, not her mother but her aunt,

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 would invite us over, and we'd play games, the whole family.

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 We'd be sitting in the dining room playing a game,

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 and Scout would be in there with her dog, Roxy, a black lab,

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 and she would teach her to do tricks.

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 And she taught her how to sit and how to lay down and how to roll over to the left

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 and roll over to the right and weave between her legs.

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 She would tell her to sit and stay, and then she would take dog biscuits and put them on each paw.

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 And you could tell that dog wanted those biscuits so bad.

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 And she would walk into another room and tell her, say, leave them,

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 and walk into another room and from the other room say, take them,

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 and that dog would eat those dog biscuits.

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 One day we're there at the house playing, and she is in the other room,

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 and I can tell she's teaching her to do something.

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 And so finally she comes into the dining room.

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 She looks at me and says, Papa, watch this.

00:14:21.500 --> 00:14:23.480
 She tells Roxy, Roxy, sit.

00:14:23.620 --> 00:14:24.220
 Roxy, sit.

00:14:24.340 --> 00:14:25.140
 Roxy, lay down.

00:14:25.220 --> 00:14:25.980
 Roxy, lays down.

00:14:26.420 --> 00:14:28.680
 She says, Roxy, and goes, bang.

00:14:29.040 --> 00:14:32.100
 The dog rolls over and sticks her leg straight up in the air, right?

00:14:32.100 --> 00:14:35.279
 And that's what James is saying.

00:14:35.360 --> 00:14:40.200
 He says, man, you can take an animal, and you can teach reptiles.

00:14:40.320 --> 00:14:45.000
 You can teach through giving them something to reinforce behavior.

00:14:45.399 --> 00:14:48.440
 You can teach birds and animals and creatures, everything in the world.

00:14:49.040 --> 00:14:51.440
 But good luck taming the tongue.

00:14:52.600 --> 00:14:54.980
 Good luck getting control over the tongue.

00:14:55.340 --> 00:14:57.879
 No man can tame the tongue, verse 8 says.

00:14:57.879 --> 00:15:02.340
 It is a restless evil full of deadly poison.

00:15:03.120 --> 00:15:04.659
 Strong word to use, isn't it?

00:15:05.960 --> 00:15:12.059
 I mean, you ladies, you ever leave poison out on your cabinets for kids to get into?

00:15:12.580 --> 00:15:13.379
 Of course not.

00:15:14.240 --> 00:15:18.000
 You guys in your garage, you got chemicals you know would harm grandchildren?

00:15:18.659 --> 00:15:22.220
 And you don't leave them within hand's reach, right?

00:15:22.340 --> 00:15:26.379
 You put that stuff up because you don't want your children to be poisoned.

00:15:26.379 --> 00:15:27.460
 But this is what he says.

00:15:27.460 --> 00:15:32.840
 You need to be aware the tongue is a deadly poison.

00:15:33.879 --> 00:15:37.340
 Man, it's a deadly, deadly poison.

00:15:38.420 --> 00:15:40.560
 And then he says this, verse 9.

00:15:41.420 --> 00:15:43.780
 We praise our Lord and Father with it,

00:15:44.379 --> 00:15:50.080
 and we curse men who are made in God's likeness with it.

00:15:51.259 --> 00:15:55.700
 Now, just a few moments ago, we sang songs about the goodness of God,

00:15:55.700 --> 00:15:56.660
 and we were praising him.

00:15:56.660 --> 00:15:58.259
 I commented on it in my prayer.

00:15:58.800 --> 00:16:00.480
 I thought the song selection was great, Brian.

00:16:01.800 --> 00:16:04.220
 We talk about praising God and how good God is,

00:16:04.420 --> 00:16:06.480
 and we occasionally listen to a sermon.

00:16:06.620 --> 00:16:08.700
 You ever been going down the road, you listen to a radio preacher,

00:16:08.759 --> 00:16:10.800
 and he said amen as he's preaching?

00:16:11.360 --> 00:16:11.940
 Well, praise the Lord.

00:16:12.020 --> 00:16:12.860
 Man, that's right.

00:16:13.000 --> 00:16:13.580
 You nailed it.

00:16:13.620 --> 00:16:14.240
 That's good.

00:16:14.240 --> 00:16:17.379
 He says, isn't it amazing?

00:16:17.620 --> 00:16:19.620
 We praise the Lord with our tongues,

00:16:19.620 --> 00:16:22.960
 and we can walk right out of a room of worship,

00:16:23.899 --> 00:16:24.940
 get in our car.

00:16:25.600 --> 00:16:28.259
 If we're not careful, we'll get into an argument with our spouse

00:16:28.259 --> 00:16:30.320
 or get into a tiff with one of our kids,

00:16:30.320 --> 00:16:37.120
 and we can say awful things, hurtful things, slanderous things.

00:16:38.660 --> 00:16:40.360
 And then he draws this conclusion.

00:16:40.520 --> 00:16:41.260
 Look at verse 10.

00:16:42.820 --> 00:16:45.900
 Praising and cursing come out of the same mouth.

00:16:48.020 --> 00:16:49.440
 Did everybody here agree with that?

00:16:49.700 --> 00:16:51.020
 You ever seen that be the case?

00:16:51.400 --> 00:16:52.500
 Just nod yes, right?

00:16:53.940 --> 00:16:55.740
 And then listen to this conclusion he draws,

00:16:55.840 --> 00:16:57.980
 because I'm going to tell you, it just breaks my heart.

00:16:57.980 --> 00:17:03.139
 My brothers, these things should not be this way.

00:17:04.940 --> 00:17:05.960
 Now, I want to tell you,

00:17:06.319 --> 00:17:09.299
 we may agree or disagree on a lot of things theologically,

00:17:09.680 --> 00:17:10.779
 a lot of things biblically.

00:17:11.640 --> 00:17:13.839
 I don't think there's a person in this room

00:17:13.839 --> 00:17:16.000
 who would take issue with what James just says.

00:17:16.839 --> 00:17:19.860
 That out of the same mouth we praise God

00:17:19.860 --> 00:17:22.640
 and then turn around 15, 20 minutes later

00:17:22.640 --> 00:17:23.779
 and get into it with somebody

00:17:23.779 --> 00:17:26.980
 and can just rip them to shreds

00:17:26.980 --> 00:17:29.420
 and James' conclusion is this.

00:17:29.960 --> 00:17:31.740
 That just should not be.

00:17:33.440 --> 00:17:36.360
 I mean, that just is inexcusable.

00:17:36.500 --> 00:17:38.880
 That's just something that should never take place

00:17:38.880 --> 00:17:40.900
 that with this same tongue,

00:17:41.039 --> 00:17:42.519
 I praise God and turn around

00:17:42.519 --> 00:17:45.279
 and then belittle my wife or my children,

00:17:45.380 --> 00:17:48.640
 my husband, folks I know, people I work with.

00:17:48.980 --> 00:17:50.759
 Man, that just cannot be.

00:17:50.839 --> 00:17:53.120
 That's just unthinkable in James' mind.

00:17:53.120 --> 00:17:55.180
 And he tells us why it's unthinkable.

00:17:55.319 --> 00:17:56.519
 Look at verse 11.

00:17:56.980 --> 00:18:00.420
 Does a spring pour out sweet and bitter water

00:18:00.420 --> 00:18:01.839
 from the same opening?

00:18:03.740 --> 00:18:05.240
 Well, you know the answer to that.

00:18:05.339 --> 00:18:06.400
 It's obviously no.

00:18:06.480 --> 00:18:07.620
 It's a rhetorical question.

00:18:07.799 --> 00:18:08.180
 No.

00:18:09.000 --> 00:18:10.319
 It's just something that doesn't happen.

00:18:11.480 --> 00:18:13.160
 We've gotten away from using water fountains

00:18:13.160 --> 00:18:14.079
 during COVID, right?

00:18:15.059 --> 00:18:17.319
 I look forward to when we can open those up again.

00:18:17.319 --> 00:18:21.419
 But when you used to use a water fountain,

00:18:21.500 --> 00:18:22.740
 you went up and you pushed that button

00:18:22.740 --> 00:18:23.759
 and you bend over and take it.

00:18:23.859 --> 00:18:25.480
 Have you ever gotten a sip of water?

00:18:26.079 --> 00:18:27.059
 Boy, that was good.

00:18:27.159 --> 00:18:28.159
 I think I'll get another sip.

00:18:28.379 --> 00:18:29.159
 Ooh, that's bad.

00:18:30.599 --> 00:18:31.579
 Well, that's good.

00:18:32.759 --> 00:18:33.839
 Well, that's bad.

00:18:35.240 --> 00:18:35.599
 No.

00:18:35.599 --> 00:18:37.599
 If it's good to begin with,

00:18:37.639 --> 00:18:39.619
 it's going to continue to be good.

00:18:40.419 --> 00:18:42.059
 And if it's bad from the beginning,

00:18:42.159 --> 00:18:43.240
 it doesn't get good.

00:18:44.000 --> 00:18:46.199
 It's going to continue to be bad, right?

00:18:46.719 --> 00:18:48.939
 And that's what James is saying.

00:18:49.579 --> 00:18:50.079
 Verse 12.

00:18:50.399 --> 00:18:53.299
 Can a fig tree produce olives, my brothers,

00:18:53.539 --> 00:18:56.359
 or a grapevine produce figs?

00:18:56.359 --> 00:18:58.419
 We know the answer to that.

00:18:58.899 --> 00:18:59.659
 The answer is no.

00:19:00.579 --> 00:19:02.719
 I mean, fig trees produce figs

00:19:02.719 --> 00:19:05.419
 and grapevines produce grapes.

00:19:06.179 --> 00:19:08.099
 Olive trees produce olives.

00:19:08.879 --> 00:19:12.679
 Neither can a saltwater spring yield fresh water.

00:19:13.939 --> 00:19:19.019
 Again, I'm emphasizing that when James talks about the tongue,

00:19:19.859 --> 00:19:21.679
 he's not talking about the literal tongue.

00:19:21.759 --> 00:19:23.599
 He's talking about those things that we say.

00:19:23.599 --> 00:19:26.679
 Words are powerful conveyors of thought.

00:19:27.579 --> 00:19:28.679
 When I was a kid,

00:19:29.699 --> 00:19:31.599
 the middle school teachers in that day

00:19:31.599 --> 00:19:34.259
 used to tell us all the time

00:19:34.259 --> 00:19:37.000
 they would do it to help some child

00:19:37.000 --> 00:19:39.259
 who'd been beat up on a little bit by somebody verbally.

00:19:39.659 --> 00:19:41.619
 They'd come up and put their arm around that child

00:19:41.619 --> 00:19:42.599
 and they'd say something like this.

00:19:42.639 --> 00:19:43.819
 Y'all have all heard it from my age.

00:19:43.899 --> 00:19:45.819
 These youngsters probably hadn't heard it as much,

00:19:45.939 --> 00:19:48.919
 but people my age used to hear this all the time.

00:19:48.959 --> 00:19:50.480
 They'd put their arm around that person

00:19:50.480 --> 00:19:51.759
 who had been assaulted verbally

00:19:51.759 --> 00:19:53.819
 and they would try to encourage them

00:19:53.819 --> 00:19:55.460
 and they would try to encourage them by saying this.

00:19:55.900 --> 00:19:56.740
 You just remember.

00:19:57.480 --> 00:19:58.420
 Remember what I'm going to say?

00:19:59.500 --> 00:20:01.379
 Sticks and stones will break your bones,

00:20:02.119 --> 00:20:03.200
 but names will never hurt you.

00:20:04.480 --> 00:20:05.759
 I think they quit doing that.

00:20:05.819 --> 00:20:06.240
 You know why?

00:20:07.039 --> 00:20:07.819
 It's a lie.

00:20:07.819 --> 00:20:11.399
 There's no truth in that.

00:20:11.439 --> 00:20:13.419
 It may make that little boy or girl feel better in the moment,

00:20:13.519 --> 00:20:14.460
 but it's just not true.

00:20:16.399 --> 00:20:17.159
 Can I tell you,

00:20:17.200 --> 00:20:19.559
 most injuries you suffer in life

00:20:19.559 --> 00:20:20.679
 where you break an arm

00:20:20.679 --> 00:20:23.539
 or you have to go to the ER and get sewed up

00:20:23.539 --> 00:20:25.679
 or maybe you get in a fight as a kid

00:20:25.679 --> 00:20:26.659
 and you get a black eye,

00:20:27.240 --> 00:20:28.659
 it's going to heal in a couple days.

00:20:30.019 --> 00:20:32.179
 I mean, it ain't no big deal, right?

00:20:32.679 --> 00:20:34.460
 We all suffer those kind of hurts.

00:20:34.460 --> 00:20:36.740
 But I'm going to tell you something.

00:20:36.860 --> 00:20:38.720
 There are hurts that we suffer as individuals

00:20:38.720 --> 00:20:41.200
 when people who we have confidence in look at us

00:20:41.200 --> 00:20:43.480
 and say things to us that are hurtful

00:20:43.480 --> 00:20:44.940
 and spiteful and demeaning.

00:20:45.620 --> 00:20:46.220
 And I'm going to tell you,

00:20:46.259 --> 00:20:48.600
 I've talked to people for 50 years in counseling

00:20:48.600 --> 00:20:52.319
 and some of those wounds are as fresh today

00:20:52.319 --> 00:20:54.819
 as they were the day it happened.

00:20:56.039 --> 00:20:57.559
 I could tell you right now,

00:20:57.620 --> 00:20:58.700
 and I'm not exaggerating,

00:20:58.819 --> 00:21:01.220
 I could tell you illustration after illustration

00:21:01.220 --> 00:21:02.880
 after illustration of people

00:21:02.880 --> 00:21:04.160
 that I've dealt with in counseling

00:21:04.160 --> 00:21:06.360
 who have told me about things

00:21:06.360 --> 00:21:08.540
 that happened 30, 40 years ago in their life.

00:21:08.760 --> 00:21:09.800
 And when they tell it,

00:21:09.900 --> 00:21:11.700
 you would think if you didn't know better,

00:21:12.240 --> 00:21:14.880
 this happened about two and a half, three hours ago.

00:21:16.180 --> 00:21:17.340
 It's that fresh.

00:21:18.640 --> 00:21:20.360
 They remember being told they were stupid.

00:21:21.220 --> 00:21:24.060
 They remember being smacked across the mouth.

00:21:24.840 --> 00:21:26.100
 They remember being told

00:21:26.100 --> 00:21:27.540
 they never amount to anything.

00:21:28.740 --> 00:21:31.420
 They remember being told how worthless they were.

00:21:31.420 --> 00:21:35.440
 They remember being told how they never amount to anything.

00:21:37.039 --> 00:21:40.320
 Those words are just indelibly etched in their mind.

00:21:40.420 --> 00:21:42.740
 And somebody probably came along in most instances

00:21:42.740 --> 00:21:44.740
 and said, hey, I'm sorry, I lost my cool.

00:21:44.820 --> 00:21:45.920
 I said that and I shouldn't have.

00:21:45.960 --> 00:21:46.840
 I didn't mean that.

00:21:48.180 --> 00:21:50.580
 You convince that little mind that they didn't mean it.

00:21:51.380 --> 00:21:54.160
 You convince that wife who's hurt and crying,

00:21:54.779 --> 00:21:55.860
 you really didn't mean that.

00:21:55.859 --> 00:22:00.000
 I'm telling you, words are powerful, powerful tools.

00:22:00.439 --> 00:22:04.179
 With words, we can unite and we can divide, can't we?

00:22:05.439 --> 00:22:07.399
 I was in a business meeting years ago.

00:22:08.859 --> 00:22:10.199
 I was in Statesville, North Carolina

00:22:10.199 --> 00:22:11.199
 when I pastored there

00:22:11.199 --> 00:22:13.779
 in a pretty contentious business meeting.

00:22:14.299 --> 00:22:15.419
 It wasn't anything super serious,

00:22:15.539 --> 00:22:17.079
 but they're arguing, believe it or not,

00:22:17.139 --> 00:22:18.199
 over a church bus.

00:22:18.740 --> 00:22:20.039
 We're going to buy a church bus.

00:22:20.619 --> 00:22:22.019
 Those days, to tell you how long ago,

00:22:22.079 --> 00:22:23.819
 the whole thing wasn't but $28,000.

00:22:24.420 --> 00:22:25.639
 They're going to buy this church bus.

00:22:25.740 --> 00:22:26.599
 But the big argument was,

00:22:26.659 --> 00:22:28.940
 do we buy it with a bathroom or without a bathroom?

00:22:30.019 --> 00:22:31.359
 And half the people wanted a bathroom.

00:22:31.460 --> 00:22:32.859
 The old ones thought we ought to have a bathroom.

00:22:32.980 --> 00:22:34.279
 The younger ones thought, no, that'll smell.

00:22:34.379 --> 00:22:35.700
 We don't need a bathroom in that bus.

00:22:36.960 --> 00:22:38.559
 And so they're arguing back and forth.

00:22:38.740 --> 00:22:40.180
 Well, this man in the church

00:22:40.180 --> 00:22:42.339
 who's pretty influential stands up and he says,

00:22:42.579 --> 00:22:43.680
 I just want you to know,

00:22:43.759 --> 00:22:46.180
 if you'll buy a bus with a bathroom in it,

00:22:46.960 --> 00:22:49.639
 I'll give $5,000 for that bus tonight.

00:22:50.039 --> 00:22:51.139
 That was a big incentive.

00:22:52.200 --> 00:22:53.700
 They took the vote.

00:22:54.359 --> 00:22:57.200
 He thought they would maybe come to his side with that.

00:22:57.759 --> 00:22:58.559
 And they didn't.

00:22:59.180 --> 00:23:00.839
 They lost by about three or four votes.

00:23:01.659 --> 00:23:03.579
 So you can just tell there was an uneasiness.

00:23:03.720 --> 00:23:05.259
 And we'd always had good spirit in business,

00:23:05.379 --> 00:23:06.700
 but there was an uneasiness.

00:23:06.940 --> 00:23:07.779
 And you know what he did?

00:23:08.220 --> 00:23:09.420
 He united those people.

00:23:09.519 --> 00:23:10.879
 That same man stood back up and said,

00:23:10.940 --> 00:23:11.519
 well, you know what?

00:23:11.819 --> 00:23:12.720
 We just voted,

00:23:12.759 --> 00:23:14.920
 and we voted not to get that bus with a bathroom,

00:23:15.000 --> 00:23:15.839
 even though I wanted it.

00:23:16.240 --> 00:23:17.980
 I want to be the first to get $5,000

00:23:17.980 --> 00:23:19.440
 for a bus with no bathroom.

00:23:20.039 --> 00:23:22.319
 And people began to laugh,

00:23:22.519 --> 00:23:23.119
 and they came together,

00:23:23.579 --> 00:23:24.339
 and there was unity.

00:23:24.579 --> 00:23:25.259
 Can I tell you something?

00:23:25.920 --> 00:23:26.599
 You've seen it,

00:23:26.639 --> 00:23:27.220
 and I've seen it.

00:23:27.299 --> 00:23:29.119
 You've seen a place that was divided,

00:23:29.359 --> 00:23:31.000
 and somebody say exactly the right thing,

00:23:31.059 --> 00:23:31.680
 and what happens?

00:23:32.539 --> 00:23:34.599
 There are words that unite, right?

00:23:34.839 --> 00:23:36.220
 It brings us together.

00:23:37.359 --> 00:23:37.899
 But sadly,

00:23:38.019 --> 00:23:40.559
 I've also seen at times in business meetings,

00:23:40.680 --> 00:23:41.920
 somebody stand up and say something,

00:23:42.079 --> 00:23:43.859
 and it wasn't because they opposed me

00:23:43.859 --> 00:23:45.339
 or because they opposed some idea

00:23:45.339 --> 00:23:46.259
 the deacons were bringing.

00:23:46.259 --> 00:23:48.819
 It was because they had a divisive spirit.

00:23:49.319 --> 00:23:50.579
 They just divided the room.

00:23:51.359 --> 00:23:51.720
 And listen,

00:23:51.859 --> 00:23:53.539
 it wasn't that they said what they said

00:23:53.539 --> 00:23:54.299
 to make a point.

00:23:54.519 --> 00:23:55.960
 It's that they said what they said.

00:23:56.039 --> 00:23:56.720
 It was clear.

00:23:57.259 --> 00:23:59.940
 They wanted to create division.

00:24:00.819 --> 00:24:02.720
 Have you ever seen anybody use words in that way?

00:24:03.579 --> 00:24:04.779
 They're trying to divide.

00:24:04.980 --> 00:24:06.140
 They try to divide a home.

00:24:06.240 --> 00:24:07.299
 They try to divide a team.

00:24:07.400 --> 00:24:08.500
 They try to divide a church.

00:24:08.960 --> 00:24:10.400
 They're speaking divisively.

00:24:10.839 --> 00:24:12.440
 Words can divide.

00:24:12.680 --> 00:24:13.259
 Words are powerful.

00:24:13.259 --> 00:24:13.819
 They're powerful.

00:24:14.660 --> 00:24:15.379
 We need to be careful

00:24:15.379 --> 00:24:16.980
 about how we use our words.

00:24:17.059 --> 00:24:17.799
 They can heal.

00:24:18.480 --> 00:24:19.379
 They can wound.

00:24:19.519 --> 00:24:20.220
 They can motivate.

00:24:20.440 --> 00:24:21.400
 They can demoralize.

00:24:21.500 --> 00:24:22.220
 They can anger.

00:24:22.339 --> 00:24:23.119
 They can inspire.

00:24:23.579 --> 00:24:24.799
 They can devastate,

00:24:24.839 --> 00:24:25.799
 and they can encourage.

00:24:26.539 --> 00:24:27.240
 I want to ask you

00:24:27.240 --> 00:24:28.160
 how many of you have ever been

00:24:28.160 --> 00:24:29.359
 devastated by somebody's words,

00:24:29.440 --> 00:24:30.259
 but I'm going to tell you this.

00:24:30.839 --> 00:24:32.240
 My guess is everybody in the room.

00:24:33.900 --> 00:24:35.180
 My guess is at some time,

00:24:35.420 --> 00:24:36.500
 somebody in your life

00:24:36.500 --> 00:24:37.440
 is devastated.

00:24:37.619 --> 00:24:39.019
 You hopefully just momentarily,

00:24:39.140 --> 00:24:40.279
 but you know what it is

00:24:40.279 --> 00:24:42.019
 to be just knocked off your feet,

00:24:42.019 --> 00:24:43.819
 taken back by what somebody says,

00:24:43.900 --> 00:24:45.279
 and it hurts,

00:24:46.440 --> 00:24:47.740
 but I hope you also know

00:24:47.740 --> 00:24:48.740
 what it is to be encouraged

00:24:48.740 --> 00:24:49.740
 by somebody's words.

00:24:50.559 --> 00:24:51.700
 Well, I can't tell you the times

00:24:51.700 --> 00:24:53.139
 many of you in this room.

00:24:54.039 --> 00:24:55.920
 In fact, when I talk about first pickings,

00:24:55.960 --> 00:24:57.359
 I did someone this last week,

00:24:57.799 --> 00:24:58.240
 when they say,

00:24:58.299 --> 00:24:59.059
 well, what do you have to say

00:24:59.059 --> 00:24:59.579
 about those folks?

00:24:59.639 --> 00:25:00.379
 I say, I'll tell you this.

00:25:00.639 --> 00:25:01.940
 They're the most encouraging people

00:25:01.940 --> 00:25:02.819
 I've ever preached to.

00:25:03.339 --> 00:25:04.319
 I've never had people

00:25:04.319 --> 00:25:05.200
 be as complimentary

00:25:05.200 --> 00:25:06.579
 about poor preaching

00:25:06.579 --> 00:25:07.779
 in my life

00:25:07.779 --> 00:25:09.079
 as they are here,

00:25:09.480 --> 00:25:11.460
 but you know how to encourage,

00:25:11.460 --> 00:25:12.700
 and you know what it is

00:25:12.700 --> 00:25:14.660
 to encourage people, right?

00:25:15.180 --> 00:25:16.079
 It's a good feeling

00:25:16.079 --> 00:25:16.620
 when somebody comes

00:25:16.620 --> 00:25:18.279
 and they just encourage you.

00:25:19.120 --> 00:25:21.279
 Words can encourage you.

00:25:21.680 --> 00:25:22.460
 So let me ask you,

00:25:22.799 --> 00:25:25.259
 have your words ever hurt anybody?

00:25:27.019 --> 00:25:28.360
 Are you guilty of doing that,

00:25:28.380 --> 00:25:29.360
 hurting somebody with your words?

00:25:31.279 --> 00:25:32.779
 Are you also guilty

00:25:32.779 --> 00:25:34.779
 of helping somebody with your words,

00:25:35.819 --> 00:25:36.700
 encouraging somebody?

00:25:37.340 --> 00:25:38.319
 I bet you've done that

00:25:38.319 --> 00:25:39.799
 to a waiter or a waitress before.

00:25:39.799 --> 00:25:41.119
 You can just tell their dad

00:25:41.119 --> 00:25:42.000
 and you just lift them up

00:25:42.000 --> 00:25:42.899
 by what you say.

00:25:43.919 --> 00:25:45.119
 Boy, it's a good thing, you know.

00:25:45.399 --> 00:25:46.839
 Good feeling for not only

00:25:46.839 --> 00:25:47.879
 the one being encouraged,

00:25:47.980 --> 00:25:48.720
 but the one who's doing

00:25:48.720 --> 00:25:49.259
 the encouraging

00:25:49.259 --> 00:25:51.019
 to encourage other folks.

00:25:51.359 --> 00:25:53.119
 Well, skip down with me now.

00:25:54.079 --> 00:25:54.960
 Guys, if you can do that,

00:25:55.119 --> 00:25:56.960
 look to James 1.19.

00:25:58.319 --> 00:25:59.519
 And I want you to read

00:25:59.519 --> 00:26:00.680
 this final verse with me,

00:26:00.740 --> 00:26:01.539
 and then we're going to draw

00:26:01.539 --> 00:26:02.659
 five quick conclusions.

00:26:03.599 --> 00:26:04.859
 I want you to look to James 1.

00:26:04.919 --> 00:26:06.200
 Go back a couple of chapters.

00:26:06.200 --> 00:26:09.080
 This is one of my favorite verses

00:26:09.080 --> 00:26:09.799
 in the Scripture.

00:26:11.100 --> 00:26:12.259
 My dearly loved brothers,

00:26:12.460 --> 00:26:13.360
 understand this.

00:26:13.539 --> 00:26:14.860
 Everyone must be,

00:26:15.440 --> 00:26:16.380
 now just look up

00:26:16.380 --> 00:26:17.559
 and listen to me at this point,

00:26:18.340 --> 00:26:19.299
 because I want you to get

00:26:19.299 --> 00:26:20.539
 this graphic in your mind.

00:26:21.660 --> 00:26:22.799
 Everyone must be

00:26:22.799 --> 00:26:25.400
 quick to listen,

00:26:27.340 --> 00:26:29.279
 slow to speak,

00:26:30.240 --> 00:26:32.660
 and slow to anger.

00:26:32.660 --> 00:26:35.140
 And this is how he drives

00:26:35.140 --> 00:26:35.860
 the point home,

00:26:36.180 --> 00:26:37.580
 because, the next verse,

00:26:37.779 --> 00:26:40.940
 for the anger of man,

00:26:41.400 --> 00:26:42.259
 are you ready for this?

00:26:43.320 --> 00:26:44.660
 It never accomplishes

00:26:45.400 --> 00:26:48.120
 the righteousness of God.

00:26:50.779 --> 00:26:52.300
 When I first started preaching,

00:26:52.460 --> 00:26:53.640
 25 years of age,

00:26:53.759 --> 00:26:55.080
 full-time out of seminary,

00:26:55.220 --> 00:26:56.180
 I went to my first church,

00:26:56.279 --> 00:26:57.440
 Western Avenue in Statesville.

00:26:58.460 --> 00:26:59.400
 And boy, I had a little bit

00:26:59.400 --> 00:26:59.860
 of a temper.

00:26:59.859 --> 00:27:02.399
 And I actually thought,

00:27:02.519 --> 00:27:02.699
 you know,

00:27:02.799 --> 00:27:04.139
 it's a good thing,

00:27:04.359 --> 00:27:06.159
 because I'm not going to

00:27:06.159 --> 00:27:07.039
 let anybody run over me.

00:27:07.079 --> 00:27:07.899
 I'm not going to let anybody

00:27:07.899 --> 00:27:10.259
 abuse the church.

00:27:11.919 --> 00:27:12.759
 And boy,

00:27:12.839 --> 00:27:14.019
 if you get out of line

00:27:14.019 --> 00:27:14.319
 or something,

00:27:14.679 --> 00:27:15.439
 I'm going to be quick

00:27:15.439 --> 00:27:16.039
 to tell you.

00:27:16.819 --> 00:27:17.459
 I'm going to just,

00:27:17.899 --> 00:27:18.799
 I'm going to tell you.

00:27:20.479 --> 00:27:21.679
 And I was reading

00:27:21.679 --> 00:27:22.519
 the Scripture one day,

00:27:22.619 --> 00:27:24.259
 and God convicted me

00:27:24.259 --> 00:27:26.119
 through this verse

00:27:26.119 --> 00:27:27.119
 I just read to you.

00:27:28.159 --> 00:27:29.399
 Be quick to listen.

00:27:29.400 --> 00:27:30.660
 Most of us would do well

00:27:30.660 --> 00:27:31.600
 to listen way,

00:27:31.660 --> 00:27:31.820
 way,

00:27:31.900 --> 00:27:32.080
 way,

00:27:32.160 --> 00:27:32.380
 way,

00:27:32.380 --> 00:27:33.900
 way more than we do.

00:27:35.160 --> 00:27:36.280
 And slow to speak.

00:27:36.400 --> 00:27:37.220
 You know who my heroes

00:27:37.220 --> 00:27:37.680
 are in life?

00:27:37.759 --> 00:27:38.640
 The people typically

00:27:38.640 --> 00:27:39.980
 who say the least.

00:27:41.620 --> 00:27:42.720
 When I think of the people

00:27:42.720 --> 00:27:43.540
 in life who I most

00:27:43.540 --> 00:27:44.060
 want to be like,

00:27:44.120 --> 00:27:44.860
 it's typically people

00:27:44.860 --> 00:27:46.500
 who say the least.

00:27:47.920 --> 00:27:48.800
 And then he says,

00:27:48.940 --> 00:27:49.680
 slow to anger.

00:27:50.000 --> 00:27:50.680
 And this is why,

00:27:50.759 --> 00:27:52.180
 because the anger of man,

00:27:52.500 --> 00:27:53.240
 and he's either right

00:27:53.240 --> 00:27:54.240
 or he's wrong in this,

00:27:54.780 --> 00:27:55.280
 either God,

00:27:55.340 --> 00:27:56.040
 when he inspired him,

00:27:56.080 --> 00:27:57.120
 was right or he was wrong,

00:27:57.119 --> 00:27:59.659
 it never accomplishes

00:27:59.659 --> 00:28:01.379
 the righteousness of God.

00:28:02.639 --> 00:28:03.739
 If you've got a temper

00:28:03.739 --> 00:28:04.719
 and you're proud of it

00:28:04.719 --> 00:28:05.559
 because you think,

00:28:05.719 --> 00:28:06.979
 I just speak my mind,

00:28:07.059 --> 00:28:08.059
 I just tell the truth,

00:28:08.139 --> 00:28:08.899
 I'm just candid,

00:28:10.099 --> 00:28:10.519
 really,

00:28:10.779 --> 00:28:11.559
 you need to think

00:28:11.559 --> 00:28:12.559
 of yourself in a different way

00:28:12.559 --> 00:28:13.479
 that you're just cruel

00:28:13.479 --> 00:28:14.539
 and don't have a filter.

00:28:16.739 --> 00:28:17.500
 You understand?

00:28:19.000 --> 00:28:20.379
 That you just speak

00:28:20.379 --> 00:28:21.019
 too quickly.

00:28:22.319 --> 00:28:23.419
 That you're arrogant.

00:28:23.420 --> 00:28:25.600
 And we don't like

00:28:25.600 --> 00:28:26.360
 to think of ourselves

00:28:26.360 --> 00:28:26.779
 that way.

00:28:26.860 --> 00:28:27.440
 But I'm going to tell you,

00:28:27.840 --> 00:28:29.019
 the anger of man

00:28:29.019 --> 00:28:30.420
 never, ever, ever,

00:28:30.480 --> 00:28:32.220
 ever once accomplishes

00:28:32.220 --> 00:28:34.220
 the righteousness of God.

00:28:35.320 --> 00:28:36.560
 You don't need that.

00:28:37.300 --> 00:28:38.340
 You don't need that.

00:28:39.640 --> 00:28:41.120
 So what can we learn

00:28:41.120 --> 00:28:42.860
 from the passage

00:28:42.860 --> 00:28:44.060
 we've looked at today?

00:28:44.779 --> 00:28:46.680
 Well, we can make a choice

00:28:46.680 --> 00:28:49.720
 and that choice should be

00:28:49.720 --> 00:28:51.539
 to use my tongue

00:28:51.539 --> 00:28:52.720
 the way God intended

00:28:52.720 --> 00:28:54.139
 for me to use my tongue.

00:28:54.960 --> 00:28:56.559
 For me to honor God

00:28:56.559 --> 00:28:57.420
 with my tongue.

00:28:58.299 --> 00:28:59.619
 Now, I would guess

00:28:59.619 --> 00:29:00.659
 that everybody in this room

00:29:00.659 --> 00:29:02.159
 to this point would say,

00:29:02.259 --> 00:29:02.559
 well, Pastor,

00:29:02.639 --> 00:29:03.119
 I'm with you

00:29:03.119 --> 00:29:04.000
 and I'm in agreement

00:29:04.000 --> 00:29:04.839
 and I'd like to.

00:29:05.420 --> 00:29:06.619
 So how do I do that?

00:29:06.720 --> 00:29:07.279
 I'm going to tell you

00:29:07.279 --> 00:29:08.579
 five things just real quickly.

00:29:08.720 --> 00:29:09.359
 You can write these down

00:29:09.359 --> 00:29:09.960
 if you want to.

00:29:10.399 --> 00:29:11.339
 But here's five ways

00:29:11.339 --> 00:29:11.859
 you can do that.

00:29:11.960 --> 00:29:12.759
 Five practical,

00:29:12.980 --> 00:29:13.759
 real ways you can do it.

00:29:13.839 --> 00:29:16.039
 One, choose not to injure

00:29:16.039 --> 00:29:17.460
 others with your words.

00:29:17.460 --> 00:29:20.779
 Choose not to injure

00:29:20.779 --> 00:29:22.480
 others with your words.

00:29:22.559 --> 00:29:23.220
 Now, how am I going

00:29:23.220 --> 00:29:24.259
 to go about doing that?

00:29:24.880 --> 00:29:25.519
 First of all,

00:29:25.559 --> 00:29:26.180
 when I'm angry,

00:29:26.600 --> 00:29:28.180
 I'm going to speak

00:29:28.180 --> 00:29:30.620
 with extreme caution.

00:29:32.400 --> 00:29:33.340
 I'm going to speak

00:29:33.340 --> 00:29:34.620
 with extreme caution

00:29:34.620 --> 00:29:35.799
 whenever I find myself

00:29:35.799 --> 00:29:36.240
 getting angry.

00:29:36.500 --> 00:29:37.539
 So here's what that involves.

00:29:38.000 --> 00:29:38.779
 I've got to know

00:29:38.779 --> 00:29:39.680
 when I'm getting angry

00:29:39.680 --> 00:29:40.360
 and a lot of us,

00:29:40.440 --> 00:29:41.440
 I'm fearful, don't.

00:29:42.000 --> 00:29:42.700
 Anger just kind of

00:29:42.700 --> 00:29:43.740
 sneaks up on us, right?

00:29:44.579 --> 00:29:46.180
 You've got to become aware

00:29:46.180 --> 00:29:47.220
 of what you're feeling.

00:29:47.299 --> 00:29:48.259
 And when you feel yourself

00:29:48.259 --> 00:29:48.700
 getting mad,

00:29:48.759 --> 00:29:49.480
 the best thing you can do

00:29:49.480 --> 00:29:50.339
 is shut your mouth.

00:29:51.359 --> 00:29:52.019
 And just say,

00:29:52.079 --> 00:29:52.559
 I'm going to be

00:29:52.559 --> 00:29:53.880
 extremely careful.

00:29:54.200 --> 00:29:55.559
 I'm going to be on red alert

00:29:55.559 --> 00:29:56.420
 like the military

00:29:56.420 --> 00:29:57.839
 when it comes to

00:29:57.839 --> 00:29:58.900
 using my tongue,

00:29:59.039 --> 00:29:59.819
 employing my tongue

00:29:59.819 --> 00:30:00.960
 because this is a

00:30:00.960 --> 00:30:02.059
 vile weapon

00:30:02.059 --> 00:30:03.460
 I have at my disposal.

00:30:04.000 --> 00:30:04.460
 I'm going to be

00:30:04.460 --> 00:30:05.500
 especially careful

00:30:05.500 --> 00:30:06.599
 when I open my mouth

00:30:06.599 --> 00:30:07.640
 whenever I'm angry

00:30:07.640 --> 00:30:08.380
 because I don't want

00:30:08.380 --> 00:30:09.140
 something to come out

00:30:09.140 --> 00:30:10.720
 that will cause me harm

00:30:10.720 --> 00:30:12.519
 or cause someone else harm.

00:30:13.740 --> 00:30:14.660
 I choose

00:30:14.660 --> 00:30:16.220
 not to injure others

00:30:16.220 --> 00:30:17.220
 as I speak.

00:30:17.660 --> 00:30:18.039
 Additionally,

00:30:18.140 --> 00:30:18.779
 if I'm going to do that,

00:30:18.839 --> 00:30:19.660
 I've got to avoid

00:30:19.660 --> 00:30:20.720
 being critical

00:30:20.720 --> 00:30:23.279
 as often as I possibly can

00:30:23.279 --> 00:30:25.019
 because watch this

00:30:25.019 --> 00:30:26.420
 and this makes common sense.

00:30:27.000 --> 00:30:28.660
 The more critical I am,

00:30:28.720 --> 00:30:30.180
 the more I am apt

00:30:30.180 --> 00:30:31.220
 to hurt somebody

00:30:31.220 --> 00:30:32.000
 with my words.

00:30:32.620 --> 00:30:33.539
 Would you agree with that?

00:30:34.480 --> 00:30:36.099
 The more often

00:30:36.099 --> 00:30:37.440
 I am critical of others

00:30:37.440 --> 00:30:38.700
 or some situation,

00:30:39.259 --> 00:30:40.359
 the more apt I am

00:30:40.359 --> 00:30:41.220
 to misspeak.

00:30:41.819 --> 00:30:42.839
 So what I've got to learn

00:30:42.839 --> 00:30:43.400
 to do is this.

00:30:43.400 --> 00:30:44.200
 I've got to quit

00:30:44.200 --> 00:30:45.420
 being critical as much.

00:30:46.780 --> 00:30:48.040
 I used to tell my son

00:30:48.040 --> 00:30:48.860
 when he was a little boy,

00:30:49.300 --> 00:30:49.840
 you know son,

00:30:49.940 --> 00:30:50.640
 it is possible

00:30:50.640 --> 00:30:51.200
 to have a thought

00:30:51.200 --> 00:30:51.980
 and not say it.

00:30:55.120 --> 00:30:56.640
 We live in a world today

00:30:56.640 --> 00:30:58.360
 where folks don't get that.

00:30:59.180 --> 00:30:59.600
 You understand?

00:31:00.360 --> 00:31:01.360
 They think they have

00:31:01.360 --> 00:31:02.400
 a license somehow

00:31:02.400 --> 00:31:03.460
 if they think it.

00:31:03.540 --> 00:31:04.519
 I just got to tell people.

00:31:04.820 --> 00:31:05.420
 They want to know

00:31:05.420 --> 00:31:05.860
 what I think.

00:31:06.140 --> 00:31:06.660
 Can I tell you something?

00:31:06.759 --> 00:31:07.519
 They don't want to know

00:31:07.519 --> 00:31:08.160
 what you think.

00:31:09.720 --> 00:31:10.700
 Most people don't give

00:31:10.700 --> 00:31:11.880
 a nickel what you think.

00:31:11.880 --> 00:31:13.840
 Most people would rather

00:31:13.840 --> 00:31:14.540
 you listen to what

00:31:14.540 --> 00:31:15.420
 they think, right?

00:31:16.100 --> 00:31:16.660
 And that's what

00:31:16.660 --> 00:31:17.360
 gets us in trouble.

00:31:17.440 --> 00:31:17.940
 We all have got

00:31:17.940 --> 00:31:18.520
 these opinions

00:31:18.520 --> 00:31:20.020
 but you've just got to

00:31:20.020 --> 00:31:21.640
 learn to not commentate

00:31:21.640 --> 00:31:22.700
 on everything that goes

00:31:22.700 --> 00:31:23.520
 on in the world.

00:31:23.960 --> 00:31:24.820
 Have you ever seen folk

00:31:24.820 --> 00:31:26.120
 who it doesn't matter

00:31:26.120 --> 00:31:26.760
 what happens,

00:31:26.840 --> 00:31:27.380
 where it happens,

00:31:27.460 --> 00:31:28.200
 if it's at school,

00:31:28.360 --> 00:31:29.240
 if it's on the playground,

00:31:29.460 --> 00:31:30.240
 if it's in church,

00:31:30.340 --> 00:31:31.220
 if it's in business,

00:31:31.640 --> 00:31:32.900
 if it's at the courthouse,

00:31:33.000 --> 00:31:33.480
 something happens?

00:31:33.920 --> 00:31:34.700
 Well, let me just tell you

00:31:34.700 --> 00:31:35.580
 what I think about that.

00:31:35.579 --> 00:31:38.119
 They've got to be

00:31:38.119 --> 00:31:39.379
 a commentator for it.

00:31:40.019 --> 00:31:40.759
 You know what I miss

00:31:40.759 --> 00:31:41.240
 about the news

00:31:41.240 --> 00:31:41.919
 when I was a kid?

00:31:42.119 --> 00:31:42.720
 When I was a kid,

00:31:42.779 --> 00:31:43.319
 you cut on the news

00:31:43.319 --> 00:31:43.919
 for 30 minutes

00:31:43.919 --> 00:31:45.039
 and you heard somebody say,

00:31:45.299 --> 00:31:46.039
 and here's what happened

00:31:46.039 --> 00:31:46.639
 in the world today,

00:31:46.759 --> 00:31:47.599
 and they just mostly

00:31:47.599 --> 00:31:48.339
 show you clips

00:31:48.339 --> 00:31:49.379
 of what people were saying

00:31:49.379 --> 00:31:50.179
 and they let you

00:31:50.179 --> 00:31:51.199
 draw your own conclusion.

00:31:51.579 --> 00:31:52.439
 Well, now they show you

00:31:52.439 --> 00:31:54.119
 about a 15-second clip

00:31:54.119 --> 00:31:55.679
 and they got seven guys

00:31:55.679 --> 00:31:56.099
 there to tell you

00:31:56.099 --> 00:31:56.839
 what they just said.

00:31:58.439 --> 00:31:59.460
 Now, spend the next

00:31:59.460 --> 00:32:00.299
 30 minutes telling you

00:32:00.299 --> 00:32:02.779
 what they just told you,

00:32:02.799 --> 00:32:03.039
 right?

00:32:03.039 --> 00:32:04.819
 And they got all

00:32:04.819 --> 00:32:05.619
 these different opinions.

00:32:06.399 --> 00:32:07.200
 And how many of you

00:32:07.200 --> 00:32:07.779
 really appreciate

00:32:07.779 --> 00:32:09.139
 all their opinions, right?

00:32:09.960 --> 00:32:10.700
 I want to tell you something.

00:32:11.180 --> 00:32:12.139
 In real life,

00:32:12.539 --> 00:32:13.539
 that's how folks feel

00:32:13.539 --> 00:32:14.460
 about mine and your opinion.

00:32:14.559 --> 00:32:15.019
 I'm not saying

00:32:15.019 --> 00:32:15.440
 it's about you,

00:32:15.500 --> 00:32:15.859
 it's about me.

00:32:16.099 --> 00:32:16.680
 They don't care

00:32:16.680 --> 00:32:17.460
 what we think.

00:32:18.599 --> 00:32:19.819
 So if you want to keep

00:32:19.819 --> 00:32:20.779
 from hurting folks' feelings,

00:32:21.399 --> 00:32:22.539
 don't feel like I've got

00:32:22.539 --> 00:32:23.480
 to give everybody

00:32:23.480 --> 00:32:24.059
 my opinion

00:32:24.059 --> 00:32:25.039
 on what just happened.

00:32:25.740 --> 00:32:26.420
 No, you don't.

00:32:27.059 --> 00:32:28.039
 Keep it to yourself.

00:32:28.440 --> 00:32:29.079
 Here's the second thing.

00:32:29.379 --> 00:32:30.559
 Choose to use your tongue

00:32:30.559 --> 00:32:31.879
 to build others up.

00:32:31.880 --> 00:32:33.140
 This is the one I really do love.

00:32:34.040 --> 00:32:35.360
 Choose to use your tongue

00:32:35.360 --> 00:32:36.020
 to build others up.

00:32:36.100 --> 00:32:37.140
 Make that commitment today.

00:32:37.240 --> 00:32:37.840
 Say, God,

00:32:38.580 --> 00:32:39.540
 from this day forward,

00:32:39.600 --> 00:32:40.660
 I'm going to use my tongue

00:32:40.660 --> 00:32:41.720
 not to pull people down,

00:32:41.980 --> 00:32:44.320
 but to build people up.

00:32:45.900 --> 00:32:47.060
 Tell you a story

00:32:47.060 --> 00:32:47.980
 I heard about

00:32:47.980 --> 00:32:49.160
 back in the 80s,

00:32:49.200 --> 00:32:49.900
 I guess it was.

00:32:51.240 --> 00:32:51.920
 There's a guy

00:32:51.920 --> 00:32:52.900
 named Johnny Lingo.

00:32:53.980 --> 00:32:55.020
 He was a native

00:32:55.020 --> 00:32:57.180
 from Pacific Island

00:32:57.180 --> 00:32:59.480
 way out near Tahiti somewhere.

00:32:59.480 --> 00:33:01.660
 And this guy

00:33:01.660 --> 00:33:03.240
 was a good-looking guy,

00:33:03.420 --> 00:33:03.880
 young guy,

00:33:03.960 --> 00:33:04.740
 late 20s,

00:33:05.059 --> 00:33:05.940
 eligible bachelor,

00:33:06.120 --> 00:33:07.620
 most eligible bachelor

00:33:07.620 --> 00:33:08.420
 on the island.

00:33:09.000 --> 00:33:10.059
 All the young ladies

00:33:10.059 --> 00:33:11.019
 in town had wondered,

00:33:11.420 --> 00:33:11.900
 when is he ever

00:33:11.900 --> 00:33:12.500
 going to get married?

00:33:12.740 --> 00:33:14.099
 They had a different

00:33:14.099 --> 00:33:15.099
 kind of custom

00:33:15.099 --> 00:33:15.819
 in that place

00:33:15.819 --> 00:33:16.339
 where he lived.

00:33:16.700 --> 00:33:17.460
 When you decided

00:33:17.460 --> 00:33:18.000
 to get married,

00:33:18.059 --> 00:33:18.740
 instead of just going

00:33:18.740 --> 00:33:19.279
 to your fiance,

00:33:19.500 --> 00:33:20.880
 you went to the town square

00:33:20.880 --> 00:33:21.599
 and you announced

00:33:21.599 --> 00:33:22.460
 to the whole town,

00:33:22.860 --> 00:33:23.620
 hey, I've decided

00:33:23.620 --> 00:33:24.599
 I'm going to take a bride

00:33:24.599 --> 00:33:25.819
 and here's who my bride is.

00:33:25.920 --> 00:33:26.500
 They announced it.

00:33:26.759 --> 00:33:27.759
 And the following week

00:33:27.759 --> 00:33:28.819
 on the next Saturday,

00:33:29.140 --> 00:33:29.700
 the whole town

00:33:29.700 --> 00:33:30.180
 would gather

00:33:30.180 --> 00:33:31.240
 and the father

00:33:31.240 --> 00:33:33.019
 and the groom-to-be

00:33:33.019 --> 00:33:34.299
 would barter

00:33:34.299 --> 00:33:35.079
 over the price

00:33:35.079 --> 00:33:35.720
 of the bride.

00:33:36.200 --> 00:33:37.140
 They always dealt

00:33:37.140 --> 00:33:37.720
 in cows.

00:33:38.440 --> 00:33:39.059
 Some women,

00:33:39.200 --> 00:33:39.640
 if they weren't

00:33:39.640 --> 00:33:40.420
 too attractive,

00:33:40.559 --> 00:33:41.640
 were one-cow women.

00:33:42.259 --> 00:33:42.980
 Some women,

00:33:43.119 --> 00:33:44.200
 if they were kind of average,

00:33:44.279 --> 00:33:45.279
 were two-cow women.

00:33:45.740 --> 00:33:46.579
 If you were really

00:33:46.579 --> 00:33:47.079
 a looker,

00:33:47.200 --> 00:33:47.740
 you might be

00:33:47.740 --> 00:33:49.059
 a three-cow woman.

00:33:49.599 --> 00:33:50.740
 Every blue moon,

00:33:50.879 --> 00:33:51.960
 a four-cow woman

00:33:51.960 --> 00:33:52.700
 would come about.

00:33:53.140 --> 00:33:54.440
 And it was just phenomenal

00:33:54.440 --> 00:33:54.819
 if you were

00:33:54.819 --> 00:33:55.640
 a four-cow woman.

00:33:56.259 --> 00:33:57.040
 So Johnny Lingo

00:33:57.040 --> 00:33:58.160
 comes to town one day

00:33:58.160 --> 00:33:59.320
 and everybody's wondering

00:33:59.320 --> 00:33:59.820
 when he's ever

00:33:59.820 --> 00:34:00.400
 going to get married.

00:34:00.500 --> 00:34:01.000
 He's good-looking.

00:34:01.240 --> 00:34:02.520
 He's got lots of money

00:34:02.520 --> 00:34:03.560
 and he announces

00:34:03.560 --> 00:34:04.160
 to the town,

00:34:04.360 --> 00:34:05.600
 I'm going to marry.

00:34:05.780 --> 00:34:06.360
 Next Saturday,

00:34:06.420 --> 00:34:06.920
 I'm going to marry.

00:34:07.259 --> 00:34:08.280
 And everyone's,

00:34:08.360 --> 00:34:08.980
 who's it going to be?

00:34:09.019 --> 00:34:09.539
 Who's it going to be?

00:34:09.800 --> 00:34:10.300
 And they thought,

00:34:10.380 --> 00:34:11.280
 maybe this real

00:34:11.280 --> 00:34:12.019
 good-looking gal

00:34:12.019 --> 00:34:13.140
 or that good-looking gal.

00:34:13.340 --> 00:34:14.140
 When he announced

00:34:14.140 --> 00:34:14.640
 his choice,

00:34:14.760 --> 00:34:15.519
 the whole town,

00:34:15.619 --> 00:34:16.400
 you couldn't believe

00:34:16.400 --> 00:34:17.340
 the silence that fell.

00:34:17.579 --> 00:34:18.160
 He said,

00:34:18.200 --> 00:34:19.680
 I intend to marry Mejia.

00:34:21.140 --> 00:34:21.900
 And they thought,

00:34:22.000 --> 00:34:22.500
 Mejia?

00:34:23.440 --> 00:34:24.400
 Is he crazy?

00:34:24.400 --> 00:34:25.119
 Mejia?

00:34:25.599 --> 00:34:26.400
 Mejia's hair

00:34:26.400 --> 00:34:27.320
 was unkept.

00:34:28.139 --> 00:34:28.820
 She was never

00:34:28.820 --> 00:34:29.880
 dressed appropriately.

00:34:30.500 --> 00:34:31.460
 She was backward

00:34:31.460 --> 00:34:32.340
 and shy

00:34:32.340 --> 00:34:33.980
 and just removed

00:34:33.980 --> 00:34:34.619
 from everything.

00:34:35.800 --> 00:34:37.579
 The kids had made fun

00:34:37.579 --> 00:34:38.720
 of her all of her life.

00:34:38.960 --> 00:34:40.079
 Now she's a young woman.

00:34:40.680 --> 00:34:41.220
 And they just couldn't,

00:34:41.400 --> 00:34:42.840
 why is he taking Mejia?

00:34:43.440 --> 00:34:43.920
 Somebody said,

00:34:43.960 --> 00:34:44.519
 it's because he's got

00:34:44.519 --> 00:34:45.000
 all that money.

00:34:45.180 --> 00:34:45.480
 He's tired.

00:34:45.579 --> 00:34:46.360
 He's just too cheap

00:34:46.360 --> 00:34:47.200
 to get a good wife.

00:34:47.199 --> 00:34:49.619
 So,

00:34:50.299 --> 00:34:51.679
 the following Saturday,

00:34:51.839 --> 00:34:52.339
 they meet there

00:34:52.339 --> 00:34:53.119
 in the town square

00:34:53.119 --> 00:34:53.779
 and the father

00:34:53.779 --> 00:34:55.099
 of Mejia comes

00:34:55.099 --> 00:34:55.579
 and says,

00:34:56.179 --> 00:34:57.000
 I'll sell you Mejia

00:34:57.000 --> 00:34:57.619
 because he knows

00:34:57.619 --> 00:34:58.359
 he can't push it.

00:34:58.480 --> 00:34:58.619
 You know,

00:34:58.659 --> 00:34:59.579
 she's not much of a looker.

00:34:59.639 --> 00:34:59.919
 He says,

00:35:00.480 --> 00:35:01.259
 two cows.

00:35:02.480 --> 00:35:03.939
 And Johnny Lingo says,

00:35:04.019 --> 00:35:04.539
 Johnny Lingo

00:35:04.539 --> 00:35:05.659
 not give you two cows.

00:35:05.779 --> 00:35:06.239
 Johnny Lingo

00:35:06.239 --> 00:35:06.819
 give you

00:35:06.819 --> 00:35:08.319
 not two cows.

00:35:09.319 --> 00:35:09.739
 He says,

00:35:09.799 --> 00:35:09.960
 well,

00:35:10.199 --> 00:35:10.460
 okay,

00:35:10.539 --> 00:35:10.939
 one cow.

00:35:11.039 --> 00:35:11.419
 He says,

00:35:11.579 --> 00:35:11.799
 no,

00:35:11.960 --> 00:35:12.439
 Johnny Lingo

00:35:12.439 --> 00:35:13.439
 not give you one cow.

00:35:13.759 --> 00:35:14.139
 Guy says,

00:35:14.179 --> 00:35:14.359
 look,

00:35:14.399 --> 00:35:14.839
 you're not getting

00:35:14.839 --> 00:35:15.379
 her for horns

00:35:15.380 --> 00:35:15.880
 and hooves.

00:35:16.720 --> 00:35:17.079
 So,

00:35:17.240 --> 00:35:17.640
 he says,

00:35:17.720 --> 00:35:17.860
 no,

00:35:17.940 --> 00:35:18.099
 no,

00:35:18.200 --> 00:35:18.720
 you don't understand.

00:35:18.900 --> 00:35:19.380
 Johnny Lingo

00:35:19.380 --> 00:35:20.079
 not give you

00:35:20.079 --> 00:35:20.920
 two cows.

00:35:21.039 --> 00:35:21.480
 Johnny Lingo

00:35:21.480 --> 00:35:22.079
 not give you

00:35:22.079 --> 00:35:22.519
 one cow.

00:35:22.880 --> 00:35:23.440
 Johnny Lingo

00:35:23.440 --> 00:35:24.119
 give you

00:35:24.119 --> 00:35:25.599
 ten cows

00:35:25.599 --> 00:35:26.119
 from Mejia.

00:35:27.760 --> 00:35:29.079
 Everybody was stunned.

00:35:29.619 --> 00:35:30.380
 One person said,

00:35:30.519 --> 00:35:31.160
 it's because he's got

00:35:31.160 --> 00:35:31.599
 all that money.

00:35:31.680 --> 00:35:31.940
 He doesn't want to

00:35:31.940 --> 00:35:32.579
 show off how much

00:35:32.579 --> 00:35:33.220
 money he's got.

00:35:34.220 --> 00:35:34.619
 Well,

00:35:34.640 --> 00:35:35.579
 he pays the guy

00:35:35.579 --> 00:35:36.360
 the ten cows.

00:35:36.500 --> 00:35:37.059
 He takes Mejia

00:35:37.059 --> 00:35:37.599
 by the hand

00:35:37.599 --> 00:35:38.680
 and they leave

00:35:38.680 --> 00:35:39.300
 to go on their honeymoon.

00:35:39.440 --> 00:35:39.820
 They're going to be

00:35:39.820 --> 00:35:40.780
 gone 30 days.

00:35:41.079 --> 00:35:41.980
 As he's leaving,

00:35:42.400 --> 00:35:43.160
 he gets to the edge

00:35:43.160 --> 00:35:43.440
 of town.

00:35:43.539 --> 00:35:44.220
 There's this little

00:35:44.219 --> 00:35:45.419
 British mercantile

00:35:45.419 --> 00:35:46.799
 and he goes inside

00:35:46.799 --> 00:35:47.919
 and he asks this merchant,

00:35:48.279 --> 00:35:49.139
 you have one of those

00:35:49.139 --> 00:35:51.179
 pearl-covered,

00:35:51.480 --> 00:35:52.679
 pearl-handled combs

00:35:52.679 --> 00:35:53.339
 and brush sets

00:35:53.339 --> 00:35:53.839
 with a mirror?

00:35:54.459 --> 00:35:54.919
 Guy says,

00:35:54.980 --> 00:35:55.119
 no,

00:35:55.179 --> 00:35:56.539
 but I can order you one.

00:35:57.339 --> 00:35:58.079
 When will it be here?

00:35:58.139 --> 00:35:58.379
 It'll be here

00:35:58.379 --> 00:35:59.099
 in about three weeks.

00:35:59.159 --> 00:35:59.559
 That's good.

00:35:59.639 --> 00:36:00.099
 We're going on

00:36:00.099 --> 00:36:00.879
 a four-week honeymoon.

00:36:01.259 --> 00:36:02.299
 When we get back,

00:36:02.559 --> 00:36:03.199
 you bring it out

00:36:03.199 --> 00:36:04.239
 to my place.

00:36:04.319 --> 00:36:04.579
 And so,

00:36:04.639 --> 00:36:05.379
 the guy agrees.

00:36:06.059 --> 00:36:06.299
 Well,

00:36:06.359 --> 00:36:06.599
 they're going

00:36:06.599 --> 00:36:07.579
 30-day honeymoon.

00:36:08.199 --> 00:36:08.939
 He comes back.

00:36:09.359 --> 00:36:10.000
 The British merchant

00:36:10.000 --> 00:36:11.519
 gets the thing

00:36:11.519 --> 00:36:12.079
 he's ordered

00:36:12.079 --> 00:36:13.000
 and he's going

00:36:13.000 --> 00:36:13.519
 to take it out

00:36:13.519 --> 00:36:14.360
 to his little hut

00:36:14.360 --> 00:36:14.980
 at the edge

00:36:14.980 --> 00:36:15.460
 of the island.

00:36:15.860 --> 00:36:16.319
 He gets out

00:36:16.319 --> 00:36:17.699
 to the guy's hut.

00:36:17.779 --> 00:36:18.779
 He's still about

00:36:18.779 --> 00:36:19.900
 150 yards away

00:36:19.900 --> 00:36:21.799
 and he hears voices

00:36:21.799 --> 00:36:23.579
 and they're loud voices.

00:36:23.779 --> 00:36:24.599
 One voice in material

00:36:24.599 --> 00:36:25.199
 is just saying

00:36:25.199 --> 00:36:25.699
 over and over,

00:36:25.779 --> 00:36:26.480
 you cheated me,

00:36:26.539 --> 00:36:27.079
 you cheated me,

00:36:27.119 --> 00:36:27.679
 you cheated me.

00:36:28.480 --> 00:36:29.599
 And he gets closer,

00:36:29.819 --> 00:36:30.940
 about 100 yards away.

00:36:31.199 --> 00:36:32.159
 He sees this figure

00:36:32.159 --> 00:36:33.360
 come storming out of the hut

00:36:33.360 --> 00:36:34.179
 and it looks like

00:36:34.179 --> 00:36:34.880
 he is daddy.

00:36:36.119 --> 00:36:36.360
 Well,

00:36:36.360 --> 00:36:37.340
 he gets closer still.

00:36:37.420 --> 00:36:38.099
 He's about 25,

00:36:38.279 --> 00:36:38.940
 50 yards away

00:36:38.940 --> 00:36:40.440
 and this beautiful,

00:36:40.599 --> 00:36:41.139
 not dead,

00:36:41.339 --> 00:36:42.039
 gorgeous woman

00:36:42.039 --> 00:36:42.659
 comes out

00:36:42.659 --> 00:36:43.639
 and she's got

00:36:43.639 --> 00:36:44.940
 something to get water with

00:36:44.940 --> 00:36:46.559
 and she walks

00:36:46.559 --> 00:36:47.159
 to the well.

00:36:48.400 --> 00:36:49.539
 Merchant walks on up

00:36:49.539 --> 00:36:50.059
 on the porch

00:36:50.059 --> 00:36:51.179
 and knocks at the door.

00:36:52.739 --> 00:36:53.239
 Johnny Lingo

00:36:53.239 --> 00:36:53.900
 comes to the door

00:36:53.900 --> 00:36:54.380
 and he says,

00:36:54.779 --> 00:36:55.839
 I see you have my brush

00:36:55.839 --> 00:36:56.360
 and mirror set

00:36:56.360 --> 00:36:57.039
 and he says yes

00:36:57.039 --> 00:36:58.039
 and he pays him for it.

00:36:59.000 --> 00:36:59.440
 He says,

00:36:59.500 --> 00:36:59.679
 Johnny,

00:36:59.759 --> 00:37:00.199
 I'm not trying

00:37:00.199 --> 00:37:01.179
 to be nosy or anything.

00:37:01.179 --> 00:37:01.599
 He said,

00:37:01.679 --> 00:37:03.400
 but was that Mejia's dad

00:37:03.400 --> 00:37:04.599
 I heard arguing with you

00:37:04.599 --> 00:37:05.380
 as I came up

00:37:05.380 --> 00:37:05.839
 and he said,

00:37:05.920 --> 00:37:06.059
 yeah.

00:37:07.139 --> 00:37:07.599
 He said,

00:37:07.599 --> 00:37:08.799
 did he say you cheated him?

00:37:08.860 --> 00:37:09.219
 He said,

00:37:09.299 --> 00:37:09.500
 yeah.

00:37:10.599 --> 00:37:11.860
 What did you cheat him over?

00:37:11.980 --> 00:37:12.299
 He says,

00:37:12.339 --> 00:37:12.440
 well,

00:37:12.440 --> 00:37:13.119
 I didn't cheat him.

00:37:13.199 --> 00:37:13.319
 He says,

00:37:13.400 --> 00:37:14.299
 but he says,

00:37:14.360 --> 00:37:14.900
 I cheated him.

00:37:14.900 --> 00:37:15.139
 He says,

00:37:15.639 --> 00:37:16.000
 he said,

00:37:16.019 --> 00:37:16.799
 I gave too little

00:37:16.799 --> 00:37:17.319
 for Mejia.

00:37:18.219 --> 00:37:18.880
 Too little?

00:37:19.000 --> 00:37:20.239
 You gave 10 cows.

00:37:21.099 --> 00:37:21.440
 He said,

00:37:21.460 --> 00:37:21.779
 I know,

00:37:21.860 --> 00:37:22.799
 but he thinks I cheated.

00:37:23.619 --> 00:37:24.159
 He said,

00:37:24.199 --> 00:37:24.339
 oh,

00:37:24.380 --> 00:37:25.279
 and one other thing said,

00:37:26.139 --> 00:37:28.039
 who's that gorgeous woman

00:37:28.039 --> 00:37:28.819
 that walked out

00:37:28.819 --> 00:37:29.539
 of the house

00:37:29.539 --> 00:37:30.059
 a minute ago

00:37:30.059 --> 00:37:30.940
 to go draw water?

00:37:31.699 --> 00:37:32.059
 He said,

00:37:32.119 --> 00:37:32.299
 oh,

00:37:33.000 --> 00:37:33.679
 that's Mejia.

00:37:35.139 --> 00:37:35.579
 Mejia?

00:37:35.579 --> 00:37:36.079
 Well,

00:37:37.340 --> 00:37:38.299
 what happened to her

00:37:38.299 --> 00:37:39.519
 in the last 30 days?

00:37:40.480 --> 00:37:41.039
 Johnny said,

00:37:41.119 --> 00:37:41.219
 well,

00:37:42.299 --> 00:37:42.579
 you know,

00:37:42.619 --> 00:37:42.920
 Johnny,

00:37:43.299 --> 00:37:43.519
 Lingo,

00:37:43.619 --> 00:37:44.500
 pretty shrewd businessman.

00:37:44.679 --> 00:37:44.779
 He said,

00:37:44.840 --> 00:37:46.019
 I know all my life.

00:37:46.739 --> 00:37:47.519
 She's a real cat.

00:37:47.579 --> 00:37:48.400
 She's a real fan.

00:37:49.239 --> 00:37:49.500
 He said,

00:37:49.539 --> 00:37:50.420
 but the kids at school,

00:37:50.559 --> 00:37:51.539
 they made fun of her.

00:37:52.880 --> 00:37:54.340
 She didn't wear nice clothes

00:37:54.340 --> 00:37:55.519
 the way the other kids did.

00:37:56.019 --> 00:37:56.980
 They belittled her.

00:37:57.440 --> 00:37:58.579
 Her dad belittled her.

00:37:59.119 --> 00:38:00.940
 Her dad often drove her

00:38:00.940 --> 00:38:01.699
 away from the house.

00:38:02.139 --> 00:38:03.079
 She became backward,

00:38:03.340 --> 00:38:03.960
 lived in the woods

00:38:03.960 --> 00:38:05.300
 by herself much of her life.

00:38:05.980 --> 00:38:06.220
 He said,

00:38:06.559 --> 00:38:07.619
 but I always know,

00:38:07.740 --> 00:38:08.079
 Mejia,

00:38:08.400 --> 00:38:09.579
 she a real prize.

00:38:10.519 --> 00:38:10.900
 He said,

00:38:10.960 --> 00:38:11.079
 well,

00:38:11.119 --> 00:38:12.119
 how did she transform

00:38:12.119 --> 00:38:13.280
 so much in 30 days?

00:38:13.340 --> 00:38:13.659
 He said,

00:38:13.699 --> 00:38:13.820
 oh,

00:38:13.860 --> 00:38:14.860
 that's the easy part.

00:38:15.659 --> 00:38:16.099
 He said,

00:38:16.119 --> 00:38:16.699
 every day,

00:38:16.780 --> 00:38:17.500
 I look at Mejia

00:38:17.500 --> 00:38:17.800
 and say,

00:38:17.860 --> 00:38:18.240
 Mejia,

00:38:19.639 --> 00:38:20.740
 most of them girls in town,

00:38:20.880 --> 00:38:21.119
 one,

00:38:21.119 --> 00:38:21.400
 two,

00:38:21.519 --> 00:38:22.199
 three cow women,

00:38:23.119 --> 00:38:24.500
 you a 10 cow woman.

00:38:27.019 --> 00:38:28.000
 I'm going to tell you something.

00:38:28.300 --> 00:38:29.320
 People will become

00:38:29.320 --> 00:38:30.280
 what you tell them

00:38:30.280 --> 00:38:30.980
 they are.

00:38:32.019 --> 00:38:32.579
 Do you know that?

00:38:32.579 --> 00:38:34.960
 My little grand boy,

00:38:35.960 --> 00:38:37.819
 I hold him in my arms

00:38:37.819 --> 00:38:38.840
 every week.

00:38:40.259 --> 00:38:41.319
 And every week,

00:38:41.440 --> 00:38:42.019
 I tell him

00:38:42.019 --> 00:38:43.779
 how sweet he is,

00:38:44.779 --> 00:38:46.239
 how smart he is,

00:38:47.000 --> 00:38:48.559
 what a good boy he is.

00:38:49.619 --> 00:38:50.819
 Because I'm convinced

00:38:50.819 --> 00:38:51.719
 if I tell him that

00:38:51.719 --> 00:38:52.480
 over and over and over,

00:38:53.440 --> 00:38:54.880
 he's going to become that.

00:38:56.099 --> 00:38:57.440
 He's going to become that.

00:38:57.440 --> 00:39:00.280
 I hope you'll choose

00:39:00.280 --> 00:39:01.760
 to use your words

00:39:01.760 --> 00:39:02.559
 to build others up.

00:39:02.679 --> 00:39:03.019
 Thirdly,

00:39:03.360 --> 00:39:04.280
 I hope you'll choose

00:39:04.280 --> 00:39:06.559
 to speak only the truth.

00:39:07.980 --> 00:39:08.820
 Psalm 15,

00:39:09.320 --> 00:39:10.139
 verse 4b,

00:39:10.240 --> 00:39:10.800
 says this.

00:39:10.860 --> 00:39:11.480
 It's one of my,

00:39:11.900 --> 00:39:12.260
 again,

00:39:12.340 --> 00:39:12.960
 favorite verses.

00:39:14.900 --> 00:39:16.240
 The psalmist is talking about

00:39:16.240 --> 00:39:17.000
 who can live

00:39:17.000 --> 00:39:18.400
 on God's holy hill.

00:39:18.480 --> 00:39:19.539
 Who can live with God?

00:39:19.639 --> 00:39:19.800
 Boy,

00:39:19.920 --> 00:39:21.119
 you've got to get your game together

00:39:21.119 --> 00:39:21.780
 to live with God,

00:39:21.920 --> 00:39:22.500
 you'd think.

00:39:23.380 --> 00:39:24.619
 This is what he says.

00:39:24.619 --> 00:39:26.019
 One of the attributes

00:39:26.019 --> 00:39:27.380
 of a man who will live with God.

00:39:28.480 --> 00:39:30.440
 He sweareth to his own hurt

00:39:30.440 --> 00:39:32.859
 and changeth not.

00:39:34.079 --> 00:39:35.279
 That's the King James Version,

00:39:35.380 --> 00:39:36.139
 but I like that.

00:39:36.900 --> 00:39:38.279
 He sweareth to his own hurt

00:39:38.279 --> 00:39:39.259
 and he changeth not.

00:39:39.319 --> 00:39:40.019
 You know what that means?

00:39:40.799 --> 00:39:41.519
 It means

00:39:41.519 --> 00:39:43.079
 when he's faced

00:39:43.079 --> 00:39:44.139
 with telling the truth

00:39:44.139 --> 00:39:46.000
 and thereby being embarrassed by it

00:39:46.000 --> 00:39:47.159
 or being hurt by it,

00:39:48.139 --> 00:39:49.559
 he still just tells the truth.

00:39:50.739 --> 00:39:52.039
 He's not going to attempt

00:39:52.039 --> 00:39:52.859
 to save face

00:39:52.859 --> 00:39:53.719
 by telling a lie.

00:39:53.719 --> 00:39:54.899
 And when we lie

00:39:54.899 --> 00:39:55.879
 to cover up something

00:39:55.879 --> 00:39:56.559
 we've done wrong,

00:39:56.879 --> 00:39:57.579
 that's what we're doing.

00:39:57.659 --> 00:39:58.119
 You know that?

00:39:58.599 --> 00:39:59.759
 We're trying to save face.

00:40:00.099 --> 00:40:00.899
 But you know what happens?

00:40:01.079 --> 00:40:02.159
 When that lie is discovered,

00:40:02.299 --> 00:40:03.539
 we not only lose faith,

00:40:03.639 --> 00:40:04.719
 but we also lose

00:40:04.719 --> 00:40:05.779
 our sense of integrity.

00:40:07.159 --> 00:40:08.419
 We've lost worse

00:40:08.419 --> 00:40:09.259
 than just face.

00:40:10.719 --> 00:40:12.339
 And the man or woman of God

00:40:12.339 --> 00:40:13.539
 who uses her tongue

00:40:13.539 --> 00:40:14.019
 as they should,

00:40:14.259 --> 00:40:15.519
 they always speak the truth.

00:40:15.599 --> 00:40:16.319
 Can I ask you something?

00:40:16.459 --> 00:40:17.599
 Is that how you speak?

00:40:20.059 --> 00:40:20.639
 I don't know

00:40:20.639 --> 00:40:21.579
 if I accomplished it or not,

00:40:21.639 --> 00:40:22.559
 but for 25 years

00:40:22.559 --> 00:40:23.400
 when I was at Western

00:40:23.400 --> 00:40:24.279
 or Brushy Creek,

00:40:25.219 --> 00:40:26.719
 I tried to always be somebody

00:40:26.719 --> 00:40:28.579
 who spoke the truth.

00:40:29.539 --> 00:40:30.159
 Because I'm going to tell you,

00:40:30.199 --> 00:40:31.219
 your name and your integrity

00:40:31.219 --> 00:40:33.920
 means absolutely everything.

00:40:34.039 --> 00:40:35.059
 You can't get that back

00:40:35.059 --> 00:40:36.059
 once you've lost it.

00:40:36.799 --> 00:40:37.500
 Do you understand that?

00:40:37.920 --> 00:40:38.960
 I didn't ever want anybody

00:40:38.960 --> 00:40:39.340
 to say,

00:40:39.420 --> 00:40:39.900
 well, you know what?

00:40:40.199 --> 00:40:41.619
 You better parse

00:40:41.619 --> 00:40:42.759
 Ralph Carter's sentences.

00:40:44.340 --> 00:40:45.639
 You ever seen people like that?

00:40:45.739 --> 00:40:46.340
 They said something,

00:40:46.400 --> 00:40:47.179
 but you've got to go out

00:40:47.179 --> 00:40:48.179
 and you've got to interpret it.

00:40:48.239 --> 00:40:49.639
 Now, what does that really mean?

00:40:50.480 --> 00:40:51.299
 Here's what he said,

00:40:51.359 --> 00:40:52.519
 but what did he really mean?

00:40:53.879 --> 00:40:55.500
 I hope you'll use your tongue

00:40:55.500 --> 00:40:57.559
 to always speak only the truth.

00:40:58.299 --> 00:40:58.739
 Fourthly,

00:40:59.159 --> 00:41:00.900
 choose to speak wholesomely.

00:41:01.460 --> 00:41:02.900
 Choose to speak wholesomely.

00:41:03.699 --> 00:41:05.839
 Because the world seeks to be earthly

00:41:05.839 --> 00:41:07.960
 doesn't mean that I've got to do the same.

00:41:09.059 --> 00:41:09.679
 I'm going to tell you,

00:41:09.719 --> 00:41:10.519
 I'm disappointed

00:41:10.519 --> 00:41:12.079
 at some of the preachers

00:41:12.079 --> 00:41:13.299
 I hear preaching today

00:41:13.300 --> 00:41:15.740
 because many think

00:41:15.740 --> 00:41:18.200
 that they've got to be shock jocks.

00:41:19.220 --> 00:41:20.260
 They've got to use

00:41:20.260 --> 00:41:22.400
 the language of the world

00:41:22.400 --> 00:41:23.960
 and earthy terms

00:41:23.960 --> 00:41:24.640
 and I know

00:41:24.640 --> 00:41:25.700
 we want to be colorful

00:41:25.700 --> 00:41:27.580
 and we want to be graphic

00:41:27.580 --> 00:41:29.460
 and paint pictures for people,

00:41:29.580 --> 00:41:30.120
 but I want to tell you something,

00:41:30.600 --> 00:41:32.100
 you don't ever have to be earthy.

00:41:33.300 --> 00:41:34.080
 I don't know about you,

00:41:34.200 --> 00:41:35.380
 my favorite type of movie

00:41:35.380 --> 00:41:35.960
 is a comedy,

00:41:36.519 --> 00:41:38.000
 but I've just about quit watching them

00:41:38.000 --> 00:41:38.800
 and the reason is because

00:41:38.800 --> 00:41:40.019
 people today

00:41:40.019 --> 00:41:41.680
 will settle for cheap laughs

00:41:41.679 --> 00:41:43.399
 by just using a word of profanity

00:41:43.399 --> 00:41:45.699
 or saying something vulgar

00:41:45.699 --> 00:41:46.899
 or crude or off color.

00:41:47.579 --> 00:41:49.039
 And there is no place for that

00:41:49.039 --> 00:41:50.460
 in the life of a believer.

00:41:51.319 --> 00:41:52.559
 Choose to speak wholesomely

00:41:52.559 --> 00:41:53.199
 and finally,

00:41:53.799 --> 00:41:55.460
 choose to add authenticity

00:41:55.460 --> 00:41:56.859
 to your worship

00:41:56.859 --> 00:41:59.859
 by guarding how you use your tongue.

00:42:00.759 --> 00:42:01.899
 Now here's what I mean by that.

00:42:03.819 --> 00:42:06.139
 If I use my tongue to praise God,

00:42:07.519 --> 00:42:11.059
 it nullifies my act of worship.

00:42:11.679 --> 00:42:13.139
 And my credibility

00:42:13.139 --> 00:42:14.960
 and authenticity as a believer,

00:42:16.299 --> 00:42:17.619
 if 15 minutes later,

00:42:17.699 --> 00:42:18.480
 20 minutes later,

00:42:18.559 --> 00:42:20.059
 I'm heard talking in a fashion,

00:42:20.179 --> 00:42:21.519
 I'm not talking about just crude speech,

00:42:21.579 --> 00:42:22.819
 I'm talking about being hateful.

00:42:24.219 --> 00:42:26.599
 It nullifies the authenticity

00:42:26.599 --> 00:42:27.659
 of my worship.

00:42:28.759 --> 00:42:30.179
 If I'm able to do that

00:42:30.179 --> 00:42:31.019
 with a waitress

00:42:31.019 --> 00:42:32.179
 or with my wife

00:42:32.179 --> 00:42:33.579
 or with my children

00:42:33.579 --> 00:42:34.599
 or my grandchildren

00:42:34.599 --> 00:42:35.779
 or somebody with whom

00:42:35.779 --> 00:42:36.419
 I have a dispute,

00:42:36.539 --> 00:42:37.659
 we're all going to get in a dispute.

00:42:37.799 --> 00:42:38.579
 You're going to have arguments,

00:42:38.719 --> 00:42:39.239
 but I don't tell you something,

00:42:39.239 --> 00:42:41.039
 you don't have to be

00:42:41.039 --> 00:42:43.159
 somebody who uses abusive speech

00:42:43.159 --> 00:42:45.179
 even when you disagree with somebody.

00:42:46.739 --> 00:42:48.099
 When I'm fishing at times,

00:42:48.219 --> 00:42:49.059
 I love to fish.

00:42:49.179 --> 00:42:50.139
 When I fish at times,

00:42:51.379 --> 00:42:52.899
 if a fish breaks off my hook,

00:42:53.079 --> 00:42:54.119
 I reach my tackle box

00:42:54.119 --> 00:42:54.799
 and get another hook

00:42:54.799 --> 00:42:55.719
 and I'll tie it on

00:42:55.719 --> 00:42:57.279
 and I get it snug.

00:42:57.419 --> 00:42:58.339
 I've drawn it tight.

00:42:59.119 --> 00:43:00.339
 I look in my tackle box

00:43:00.339 --> 00:43:00.959
 for a knife.

00:43:01.739 --> 00:43:02.559
 If I can't find a knife,

00:43:02.619 --> 00:43:03.419
 I look for a pair

00:43:03.419 --> 00:43:05.059
 of fingernail clippers.

00:43:05.059 --> 00:43:06.820
 When I can't find a pair

00:43:06.820 --> 00:43:07.539
 of fingernail clippers,

00:43:07.619 --> 00:43:08.340
 those of you who fish

00:43:08.340 --> 00:43:09.059
 know what I'm about to say,

00:43:09.139 --> 00:43:09.340
 right?

00:43:13.539 --> 00:43:14.340
 Can I tell you something?

00:43:14.840 --> 00:43:16.059
 God didn't give me teeth

00:43:16.059 --> 00:43:17.219
 to cut fishing line with.

00:43:19.699 --> 00:43:20.340
 He didn't.

00:43:21.639 --> 00:43:22.920
 And when I use my teeth

00:43:22.920 --> 00:43:23.880
 for that purpose,

00:43:24.559 --> 00:43:26.039
 I run the risk

00:43:26.039 --> 00:43:27.960
 of hurting myself,

00:43:28.099 --> 00:43:28.960
 hurting my teeth.

00:43:30.079 --> 00:43:31.299
 When I use my tongue

00:43:31.299 --> 00:43:32.000
 in a way that God

00:43:32.000 --> 00:43:33.239
 didn't intend for me

00:43:33.239 --> 00:43:33.719
 to use it,

00:43:33.719 --> 00:43:35.399
 I run the risk

00:43:35.399 --> 00:43:36.139
 of hurting myself

00:43:36.139 --> 00:43:37.399
 and hurting those around me.

00:43:38.939 --> 00:43:40.179
 So I'll use my tongue.

00:43:40.299 --> 00:43:40.799
 Choose today

00:43:40.799 --> 00:43:41.459
 to use my tongue

00:43:41.459 --> 00:43:42.679
 for exactly,

00:43:42.839 --> 00:43:43.779
 expressly what God

00:43:43.779 --> 00:43:44.879
 gave me the tongue to do.

00:43:44.980 --> 00:43:45.819
 And you know what that is?

00:43:45.939 --> 00:43:47.259
 To bring Him glory

00:43:47.259 --> 00:43:49.139
 and to pick up people

00:43:49.139 --> 00:43:49.659
 around you,

00:43:49.699 --> 00:43:50.799
 to point them to Jesus,

00:43:50.980 --> 00:43:51.779
 to encourage them.

00:43:53.139 --> 00:43:53.980
 Let's bow in prayer.

00:43:54.099 --> 00:43:54.359
 Father,

00:43:55.699 --> 00:43:57.000
 today as we come

00:43:57.000 --> 00:43:58.039
 to this time of decision,

00:43:58.159 --> 00:43:58.719
 I pray God

00:43:58.719 --> 00:44:00.299
 that we would decide

00:44:00.299 --> 00:44:01.059
 how we're going

00:44:01.059 --> 00:44:01.739
 to use our tongues,

00:44:01.839 --> 00:44:02.659
 that we would stop saying,

00:44:02.799 --> 00:44:02.919
 well,

00:44:02.920 --> 00:44:04.159
 that's just me

00:44:04.159 --> 00:44:05.440
 and that's how I talk

00:44:05.440 --> 00:44:07.639
 and take responsibility

00:44:07.639 --> 00:44:08.539
 for our actions

00:44:08.539 --> 00:44:09.340
 and our words.

00:44:10.300 --> 00:44:11.539
 Let us choose today

00:44:11.539 --> 00:44:12.460
 to use our tongues

00:44:12.460 --> 00:44:13.380
 the way you've intended

00:44:13.380 --> 00:44:14.340
 for us to use them.

00:44:14.920 --> 00:44:15.500
 It's our prayer

00:44:15.500 --> 00:44:16.119
 in your name.

00:44:16.220 --> 00:44:17.220
 For your sake we pray.

00:44:17.440 --> 00:44:17.720
 Amen.

00:44:18.099 --> 00:44:19.340
 Let's stand as we sing.

00:44:19.340 --> 00:44:19.700
 Thank you.

00:44:19.700 --> 00:44:19.960
com for your message

00:44:19.960 --> 00:44:20.539
 andtale.

00:44:20.640 --> 00:44:22.000
 What seems to choose

00:44:22.000 --> 00:44:22.100
 and you sing

00:44:22.100 --> 00:44:23.840
 as we have

00:44:23.980 --> 00:44:24.780
 such a challenge

00:44:24.780 --> 00:44:25.079
 is yourmotion

00:44:25.079 --> 00:44:25.720
 because today

00:44:25.720 --> 00:44:26.880
 it's our time

00:44:26.880 --> 00:44:26.920
 to give you anlat

00:44:26.920 --> 00:44:28.120
 for our sake of

00:44:28.120 --> 00:44:28.340
 matter here

00:44:28.340 --> 00:44:28.519
 and to you

00:44:28.579 --> 00:44:28.660
 you

00:44:28.660 --> 00:44:28.960
 sorry

00:44:28.960 --> 00:44:30.300
 may but

00:44:30.300 --> 00:44:30.720
 give you

00:44:30.720 --> 00:44:31.579
 or have to

00:44:31.579 --> 00:44:32.660
 the way you've

00:44:32.660 --> 00:44:33.740
 to learn

00:44:33.740 --> 00:44:34.840
 as you

00:44:34.840 --> 00:44:35.820
 and to utiliz