Ps 39:1 -- I said, "I will guard my ways, Lest I sin with my tongue; I will restrain my mouth with a muzzle, While the wicked are before me."

I recently had to deal with a difficult circumstance in one of the churches I work with. I certainly cannot give you details, for that would be inappropriate, but I think I can give you generalities. There is no chance those involved will read this article. I am confident there is a good lesson for me and I hope for you.

This problem dealt with personalities and a lack of love and longsuffering as many church problems reveal. This problem was not about doctrine. Yes, the church is an ideal and perfect organization created to contain non-ideal and imperfect beings. I had to address a problem that should not have been a problem. But personalities caused this difficult issue in the first place, and it had to be dealt with. I am confident those of you in leadership positions can completely understand.

It was such a temptation to me to simply “speak my mind”. The words that I could have said were based on truth and not falsehood. Speaking these words would have made me feel so much better, but they probably would not have been received well. Moreover and more importantly, they certainly would not have solved the problem. They probably would have made it much worse. Perhaps even souls would have been damaged and possibly lost. The words I yearned to say were not edifying. So I “bit my tongue” (almost literally) and spoke words that helped solve the problem instead.

Fortunately, the one who had been wronged, had such a proper spirit. I believe their spirit may bring shame on those who caused the problem in the first place. The person accepted the circumstance with grace and forbearance, though little was shown toward them. I commended them for their godly spirit and for their longsuffering. I am confident the Lord was pleased with the person’s spirit and the seemingly proper manner the circumstance was solved. I can hope others learned from this example.

The words I spoke were not what I wanted, but they were the words I needed to say, however difficult they were to say. It was hard to hold my tongue, but the Lord was glorified, and perhaps souls will be saved in the end. My mind went to the above verse, and I could empathize with the writer.

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