nails

There  once was a little boy who had a bad temper. His Father  gave him a bag of nails and  told him that every time he lost his temper, he must hammer a nail into the back of the  fence. The first day the boy had driven 37 nails into the fence.

Over the next few  weeks, as he learned to control his anger,  the number of nails hammered daily gradually dwindled  down. He discovered it was  easier to hold his temper than to drive  those nails into the fence.  Finally the day  came when the boy didn't lose  his temper at all. He told his father about  it and the father suggested that the boy  now pull out one nail for each day that he was  able to hold his temper.

The  days passed and the young boy was finally able  to tell his father that all the nails were  gone. The father took his son by the hand  and led him to the fence. He said, "You have  done well, my son, but look at the holes in the fence. The fence will never be the  same. When you say things in anger, they  leave a scar just like this one. You can  put a knife in a man and draw it out. It  won't matter how many times you say I'm sorry,  the wound is still there. " A verbal wound  is as bad as a physical one.

"All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.  With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be."  (james 3:7-10)

"Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips!" (Psalm 141:3)

"If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person's religion is worthless." (James 1:26)