Sweet Tongue

         It takes a long time to fill a glass with drops of water.  Even when the glass seems full, it can still take one, two, three, four, or five more additional drops.  But if you will keep at it, there is at last that one drop that makes the glass overflow.  The same analogy can apply to deeds of kindness.  In a series of kindnesses there is at last one that makes the heart run over.
        Kindness has its own law: “She opens her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness” (Proverbs 31:27).  A person guided by the law of kindness will speak encouragingly.  He will have a bright attitude.  He will smile a lot.  He will put out positive vibes.  I have found, personally, that one of the most difficult things to give away is kindness, for it, like a boomerang, returns.  Yeah, I know there are people all around us who are like a raging bull and no matter how they are treated will snort. But the general consensus is if we give kindness away it will come back to us.
        The law of kindness declares: “A man that hath friends must show himself friendly; and there is a friend that sticks closer than a brother” (Proverbs 18:24).  A friendly person is kind and does not have a problem treating people with respect.  A kind person is delightful, considerate, honest, and a joy to be with.  “You can accomplish by kindness,” wrote Publius Syrus, “what you cannot by force.”
        William B. McKinley, President of the United States from 1897-1901, was a man who understood this principle.  During one of his campaigns, a reporter from an opposition newspaper followed him constantly and just as persistently misrepresented McKinley’s views.  Eventually, during the campaign, the weather became extremely cold and even though the reporter didn’t have sufficiently warm clothing, he still followed McKinley. One bitter cold evening, the president-to-be was riding in his closed carriage and the young reporter sat shivering on the driver’s seat outside.  McKinley stopped the carriage and invited the reporter to put on his coat and ride with him inside the warm carriage.  The young man, astonished, protested that McKinley knew that he was opposition and that he wasn’t going to stop opposing McKinley during the campaign.  He knew that, but was not out to seek revenge.  In the remaining days of the campaign the reporter continued to oppose McKinley but never again did he write anything unfair or biased about the future president.
        God’s law says, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof” (Proverbs 18:21).  So in essence, a sharp and piercing tongue can kill a person’s spirit, where a kind tongue will give hope and encouragement.  I would have to say that a kind tongue will never be wrong and a toxic tongue will always be deadly. So, may your tongue be always oozing with sweet kindness. Just think of all the awesome results that will be produced just by having a sweet and kind tongue.  

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