Some years ago, an overseas newspaper reported that a man pleaded guilty in a local criminal court to a misdemeanour charge of aggravated assault. The weapon he used in the attack was a spare wooden leg that belonged to his son! As you might expect, there is more to this story than meets the headline.

On October 9, 2003, a 45-year-old man was sentenced to three days in prison and nine months probation for the incident. He had been charged with criminal assault in regard to the attack which took place on August 19, but was allowed to plead guilty to a lesser charge in light of the circumstances. The father had confronted his victim for trying to sell heroin to his adult son. "I didn't want my son falling into the same pit," he said. "The man I beat up didn't deserve the whipping he got, but he got it anyway."

Justifiable, you say. Understandable! "I'd have done the same thing," chimes in someone. "The judge should have given him a commendation instead of a sentence!" says another. Well, my friend, my point in sharing this story with you today is not to evaluate this particular court case, but to make an observation about the tendency most of us have to dish out abuse with a body part more commonly available to all of us - the tongue.

It was something of an unusual circumstance that a prosthetic leg was nearby for one person to use in beating up another. The tongue is always handy. It is always tempted to be wild an unruly. And the Bible counsels those who want to please God to keep a bridle on it at all times.

Today, I'd like you to pause for a while and think about the tongue being used as a weapon, and ask yourself if you ever find this weapon only too handy for you? Have you ever been guilty of assault with it? Have you ever got frustrated or angry enough that you have turned loose of the bridle and let your tongue trample someone? If you're honest in answering these questions, I'm sure you'll say you have used your tongue as a weapon. So have I. And both the event and its aftermath are terrible to have to recall now.

The great German theologian, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, once wrote: "The angry word is a blow struck at our brother: it seeks to hit, to hurt, and to destroy." But since the men and women around us bear the image and likeness of God, those same harsh blows ultimately land on His heart.

An employee who clumsily makes a mistake, a neighbour who offends, the family member who provokes, the Christian brother or sister who wounds - the snare of Satan is to tempt you to strike out. However, the call of God is to self-control and charity.

Friend, as you begin each day, I pray that God will give you grace to use your tongue to encourage others - and not as a weapon to destroy friendships and annihilate reputations. If you would like to have a FREE copy of a small book to trigger your thinking about the power of your words, we invite you to write to Discovering A Better Life and ask for "What You Say Is Powerful". You'll receive your copy by return mail. Our address is: P.O. Box 1540, Albany, W.A. 6331. Email: abl-alb@omninet.net.auabl-alb@omninet.net.au