Refraining the Tongue!

So what does it mean to refrain something? It means to hold back, desist, withhold.
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Have you ever seen a policeman trying to refrain an unlawful person? Well that is what refrain looks like. It is a deliberate action. You cannot be passive in refraining something.

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Now let’s have a look at scripture:
1 Peter 3; 10- 11
10 For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile:
11 Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it.

The scripture above says that he that will love life; which means a person can love life, and see good days let him refrain his tongue (not another person’s tongue), but his own tongue, from evil and that his lips that they speak no deceit.

Let him avoid evil, push it away, and do good, let him seek peace and follow after it.

As this article is only looking at the role of the tongue in response to this scripture, l will only be addressing the tongue. We have looked at the meaning of refrain and what it means. In regards to the tongue, how would this look like?

• Someone says something to you, before you respond, you think about what you want to say. If it does not bring glory to God, then refrain from saying it.
• You are with a group of friends that are talking about something that does not glorify the Lord, you simply refuse to take part in the discussion.

To refrain the tongue takes discipline, but this is what is required to reap the benefits of obeying this scripture. We have the greater one in us, who guides us into all truth. We have what it takes to tame the tongue.

Benefits of refraining the tongue include the following:

• Loving life 1 Peter 3;10
• Keeps us from sinning: Matthew 12; 36
• Helps the impact of our words: James 3; 11
• Helps us benefit from the life that it can produce: Proverbs 18; 21
• In conclusion let’s have a look at this scripture:

Proverbs 15; 28
 The heart of the righteous studieth to answer: but the mouth of the wicked poureth out evil things.
Thinking about what we want to say before we say it will help us refrain our tongue.
 
The bible has a lot to say about the tongue. To reap its positive benefits in speaking right, we have no other option but to watch what we say.

Bisi Oladipupo

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