This Current Unpleasantness

Recently, Bay and I spent a few days in Charleston, SC.  During our stay, we took a little sight-seeing tour through downtown.  Of all the facts our tour guide spouted, one sticks out in my mind.  She mentioned that in the South, because people tend to care about manners and gentility, they find it difficult to spit out words that are disagreeable. So, they will come up with other words.  A cemetery, for example, is a "sculpture garden;" and, while we might use terminology for the Civil War, such as "The War Between the States," they still might say, "The War (said, "Waaaaaaa-wa") of Northern Aggression (the way it is said is so much more than what is said, it just rolls off the tongue so sweetly)." At the time of the war, however, in Charleston, it was known as "This Current Unpleasantness."  There is a "current unpleasantness" in my own life, which I am working through.  It, too, is a "War Between the States," as such.  Let me explain.

After reading the Matthew passage (see last week), I skipped over to the book of James.  The man had quite a lot to say about the tongue, as well.  I'll just share a portion of what he has to say.  In my bible the title to this particular portion of Scripture is:  The Tongue is a Fire.  Here's what he says:

For we all stumble in may ways.  If anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body as well.  Now, if we put the bits into the horses' mouth so that they may obey us, we direct their entire body as well.  Behold, the ships also, though they are so great and are driven by strong winds, are still directed by a very small rudder, wherever the inclination of the pilot desires.  So also the tongue is a small part of the body, and yet it boasts of great things.  Behold, how great a forest is set aflame by such a small fire!  And the tongue is a fire, the very world of iniquity; the tongue sis set among our members as that which defiles us, and sets on fire the course of our life, and is set on fire by hell. (3:2-6)

It's that last little phrase that struck me as I studied this passage: set on fire by hell.  That's not very comforting.  So, let's start with what is comforting.  I'm not perfect; I'm being perfected.  Thank the Lord!  It's great to know he understands my failures are "normal," although he is working to make me abnormal (peculiar to this world, in fact). It's comforting to know that fires can be controlled. Sometimes, in fact, we fight fire with fire.  This is important to where we are headed this morning.

However, back to the heart, the tongue, and hell.  With no slap-in-the-face intended for the South (I happen to LOVE the South), my heart is often led by the Southern Hemisphere (AKA "hell").  When the South wins, it takes over my mouth, and leaves quite a destructive wake in its path.  This is what I'm trying to fight. I'm attempting to battle the fire that rages, as a result of my heart, as it spills out through my words.

So, while I was reading this passage, I remembered another time that fire took over the tongue.  This time, though, it wasn't a fire from hell, but from heaven.  Look back at Acts 2.  This is so encouraging!!!!!!!!!
(Setting - Day of Pentecost).

And suddenly there came from heaven a noise like a violent, rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.  And there appeared to them tongues as of fire distributing themselves, and they rested on each one of them.  And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them ability to speak out (2-4).  

Fire from heaven.  We fight fire with fire.  To change our mouths, we offer our hearts to the Spirit of God, so heaven can fill them.  In this setting, the disciples were doing just what they were commanded when Jesus ascended into heaven.  Wait.  In Jerusalem.  Devote yourselves to prayer.  The Spirit will come.  Come he did.  And he filled their mouths with heavenly words, because their hearts were expectant and ready for the filling of the Spirit.

The battle for control of the mouth is a North/South war.  It needs to be a War of Northern Aggression in order to end "This Current Unpleasantness" within me.  The war is won by submitting, as the disciples did, waiting, devoting myself to prayer, and expectantly allowing the Spirit to take over.  What I'm excited about, and believing God for right now, is this:  beginning to speak as the Spirit gives me the ability to speak out.  Not as I want to speak out, but as He directs.  Only then. Oh, may it be so……soon (and, of course, as often as my mouth opens...)!