Most youth ministries struggle with one thing more than any other: sins of the mouth. Be it gossip, or lies, or swear words, people get hurt when we lose control over our tongues. Here’s an idea to illustrate the twofold problem of sinning with your mouth.
Ask the group finish this statement: “Sticks and stones may break bones, but….”
Ask them if that’s really true. Most students will say that it is NOT true at all. Most students will have felt the pain of someone’s words.
Say, “There are really two problems when it comes to hurtful words. First, somebody gets hurt when we lose control of our mouths. Secondly, no matter how hard we try, or how “sincere” we may be, we CANNOT take back what was said.”
Maybe this image will help you understand what I mean. (Pull out a tube of toothpaste.) Say, “Let’s say this toothpaste tube is our mouths and the toothpaste inside is a hurtful word, or a lie, or a piece of gossip.”
Then, squeeze the tube really hard, shooting toothpaste out of the tube. Point to the toothpaste on the floor or on the table and say, “See that mess; it’s a lot like the mess we get into when we lose control of our mouths. That’s a big problem. But, there’s another really big problem: no matter how hard you try, you CANNOT put the toothpaste back in the tube. The same thing is true with our words: you cannot put them back in your mouth. Hurtful words can’t be taken back. We need to be really careful about what we say.”
James 3:1-12 is a good passage of Scripture to study in relation to this topic.
rhondeen
April 19, 2011 at 12:00 amtaming the tongue
Derlyne
September 11, 2011 at 12:00 amNice! Great analogy!
Justin
September 14, 2011 at 12:00 amGreat interpretation.
Derlyne
October 6, 2011 at 12:00 amWonderful! Thanks!
Pastor Robert
March 22, 2012 at 12:00 amThis sounds like a kool idea.
Jo-Ann Philander
October 9, 2012 at 12:00 amGOod!!!
Bryan Blakely
June 13, 2012 at 12:00 amJo-Ann Philander
October 9, 2012 at 12:00 amjacque
August 28, 2013 at 12:00 amGreat Night With 18 Teens.
Xoliswa
December 12, 2013 at 12:00 amI am grateful to have found this site. May God richly bless you.
johanes
August 12, 2015 at 12:00 amApik Tenan….(how to say: "Very Good" in javanese language)
Danielle
August 24, 2015 at 12:00 amLove love love this idea