As water reflects a face, so a man’s heart reflects the man.
Proverbs 27:19
My mother grew up on a 160 acre cotton farm in the sandy hills of southwest Oklahoma. The nearest town, of any size, was 15 miles away. Such isolation made self-reliance a given.
Because the farm was a ‘far piece’ from anywhere, as my grandfather liked to say, grandmother often served as a country doctor. Cuts were wrapped in a clean rag soaked in turpentine, and the cure for almost any internal ailment was a substantial dose of castor oil.
Grandmother also had a curious way of determining a diagnosis prior to treatment. If you told her you weren’t feeling well (I did this only once) she would say, “Let me see your tongue.” This was the only time I was allowed to stick my tongue out at my maternal forebearer.
You see, Grandmother believed the color of one’s tongue revealed their general state of health. I tried to tell her about the green Jolly Rancher I’d been sucking on, but she STILL brought out the castor oil.
Jesus knows a thing or two about tongues as well.
But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these make a man unclean. (Matthew 15:18 NIV) For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks. (Luke 6:45 NIV)
The REAL me is reflected in my words.
Here’s how I picture it:
The tongue is like a thermometer, while the heart is like a thermostat–the former is effected by the latter.
This connection between words, actions and heart is as real as death and taxes.
I love how the psychedelic NYC street performer, Matthew Silver, talks about human beings. He’s quite the philosopher.
You’re already doing, you’re always doing what’s in your heart; you can’t get away from your heart.
Matthew Silver
Above all else guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.
Proverbs 4:23
https://davidsdailydose.org/2020/05/30/thermometer-or-thermostat/
Davids Daily Dose 
Comments
8 responses to “Let Me See Your Tongue”
No problem at all. Thank you too and have a great weekend!
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I’m glad you enjoyed it and can relate. Thank you for reading my blog. I’ve been reading yours, too.
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Great post. Your grandmother sounds just like mine. Sometimes our grandparents have the best advice. Very poignant piece.
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This was a lovely post. I liked the comparison of the tongue being the thermometer and the heart the thermostat and the latter affects the former.
May we be aware of what lies in our hearts so that what comes out is reflective of Christ.
Thanks for sharing 😊.
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Mega ouch -Turpentine on a cut!😯 Your grandma sounds like a wise lady not to be messed with. On a more serious note, the mouth certainly can be the undoing of all things if not controlled. Thank you and God bless you brother.
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🙏🏽✝️❤️
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Yes, indeed! Thank you for your thoughts. Blessings 🙏🎚❤️
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Oh I enjoyed reading this! I almost began commenting with an emoji sticking my 👅 out. Your grandmother was onto something, I believe in some cultures the tongue is viewed to see what is happening internally.
On a spiritual note, I thought about the text that says out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. May we be careful about what we ingest. When squeezed or if asked to share our thoughts, we want Jesus to come out.
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