"ANGRY WORDS! O LET THEM NEVER"
INTRODUCTION
- Many of the songs we sing are designed to teach and admonish - cf. Co
3:16
- One such song is "Angry Words! O Let Them Never"...
- Words written by D. K. P.
- Melody arranged by H.R. Palmer, Will W. Slater
-- In "Hymns For Worship", it is song #394, entitled "Love One
Another"
- A favorite of many, it is a song...
- With valuable advice in our dealings with one another as members
of God's family
- Warning against disrupting friendship and love through
unthoughtful use of the tongue
[In both verse one and three, the focus is on...]
- THE NEED TO BRIDLE THE TONGUE
- THE TONGUE IS POWERFUL...
- It is difficult to control
- It has the power to control the whole body - Jm 3:2-5
- For it reflects the true expression of the inward man - cf.
Mt 12:34-35
- It has power to do good and evil
- To turn away wrath, or stir up anger - Pr 15:1
- To use knowledge wisely, or pour forth foolishness - Pro
15:2
- To be a tree of life, or a breaker of spirits - Pr 15:4
-- "Angry words! O let them never from the tongue unbridled slip;
May the heart's best impulse ever check them ere they soil the
lip."
- THE ADVANTAGES OF RESTRAINT...
- Avoids sin - Pr 10:19
- Keeps one out of trouble - Pr 21:23
- Makes one to appear wise - Pr 17:27-28
- Uncontrolled tongues can destroy friendships
- Poorly chosen words, unthoughtful and rashly spoken words
- Can make even the closest friends become enemies - e.g., Psa
55:12-14
-- "Angry words are lightly spoken, bitterest thoughts are rashly
stirred, brightest links of life are broken, by a single angry
word."
- HOW THEN SHALL WE USE THE TONGUE...?
- If for good, our words can be:
- Sweet to the soul - Pr 16:24
- A thing of beauty, like apples of gold in settings of silver
- Pr 25:11
- But if for evil, then beware:
- We will be judged by our words - Mt 12:36-37
- We will defile our bodies (and our friendships!) - Jm 3:6
[To encourage the proper use of the tongue, the song in verse two and
the chorus reminds us of...]
- THE IMPORTANCE OF FRIENDSHIP AND LOVE
- THE BLESSINGS OF FRIENDSHIP...
- Some of the most beautiful passages in the Bible were
expressions between friends
- Ruth's love for her mother-in-law, Naomi - Ru 1:16-17
- Jonathan's devotion to his friend, David - 1Sa 18:1
- Jesus' love for His disciple, John - Jn 19:25-27
- Paul's love for his coworker, Timothy - 2Ti 1:1-4
- Good friends provide wonderful benefits
- A true friend is "a man for all seasons" - Pr 17:17
- A true friend can be closer than blood relatives - Pr 18:24
- The rebuke of a true friend is of more value than the praise
of an enemy - Pr 27:6
- The advice of a true friend can be precious - Pr 27:9
- Seek to hang on to good friends - Pr 27:10a
-- "Love is much too pure and holy, friendship is too sacred far,
for a moment's reckless folly thus to desolate and mar."
- THE NEED TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER...
- Our Savior teaches us to do so
- A new commandment, to love as He loved us - Jn 13:34-35
- Stressed again and again - Jn 15:12,17
- It is a "blest" command
- Love will avoid offending another with loose words - 1Co
13:4-5a
- Love suffers long (patient)
- Love is kind
- Love does not envy (not jealous of others' good fortune)
- Love does not parade itself (does not brag about itself)
- Love is not puffed up (not arrogant)
- Love does not behave rudely (not inconsiderate of others'
feelings)
- Love will not allow loose words offend it - 1Co 13:5b-8a
- Love does not seek its own (not defensive)
- Love is not provoked (not sensitive)
- Love thinks no evil (assumes the best intention)
- Love does not rejoice in iniquity, but in truth
(concerned more about truth than winning)
- Love bears all things (puts up with snide remarks,
slights)
- Love believes all things (gives others the benefit of the
doubt)
- Love hopes all things (looks for the best in others)
- Love endures all things (including hurt feelings by
unkind or unthoughtful words)
- Love never fails (to show patience, compassion,
forgiveness)
-- "'Love one another', thus says the Savior; Children, obey His
blest command."
CONCLUSION
- Friendship is too holy to let loose words in reckless moments destroy
it...
- Especially between brethren in Christ
- Whose love is to be a mark of true discipleship - Jn 13:35
- True love values friendship so highly, that it will resolve...
- To say nothing that unnecessarily endangers our friendship
- To let nothing that is said, no matter how hurtful, to destroy our
friendship
May this song, "Angry Words! O Let Them Never" serve to remind us of the
blessing and duty we have regarding our love and friendship as disciples
of Christ!
Have you become a disciple of Jesus Christ...? - cf. Mt 28:19-20