BEWARE the "Cyber-beast"

First, especially if you attend Haven Baptist and weren't at last Sunday's AM worship service, go to the sermon page and listen to it (if it's already posted). This will make more sense if you do.
I was going down the road last night talking about how people are often willing to say things in email or other means of communication that they might not say in person and it hit me what this week's post needed to address - the "Cyber-beast." This Sunday we looked at James 3:1-12 and dealt with his strong warning about the "Beast in our mouth" - the tongue. The tongue wants to control. The tongue will destroy. The tongue is unfaithful. We've got to be intentional about controlling the beast. One thing that I forgot to say on Sunday is that James tells us that all birds and beasts can be tamed but the beast in our mouth cannot. That means that our tongue will never be house broken. There will never be a time, prior to Christ's return, when we can let our tongue of the chain to roam free because it will ultimately control, destroy and act unfaithfully. Unfortunately, most Christian's tongues are absolutely off the chain and wreaking havoc everywhere they go. However, the Christian who controls his or her tongue, James tells us, is someone who is maturing in his or her faith.
So this brings me to the web, to your in and out box. How do you communicate, non-verbally speaking? What you say with your fingers on the keyboard is as much a product of "the Beast in your mouth" as would be the spoken word. It might even be worse. Spoken words can, at least, be blamed on the heat of the moment (though not at all excused or minimized). Electronic words, on the other hand, tend to be premeditated and calculated. Now, I realize they can be banged out on the keyboard during the height of a childish temper tantrum but they are certainly much more intentional than words spoken in haste.
The proposition for this past week's sermon was Bite your tongue before it controls, destroys or acts unfaithfully. I guess the call here is to Bite your fingers or whatever it takes. Before you bang out that nasty, hurtful, un-Christlike email or web post, deal with the beast - the one in your mouth with outlets in your fingers. Don't excuse your behavior that God's word clearly forbids. I know it feels better to be able to say all you "want" to say but it would be better to ask yourself "What does God want (or not want) said before you hit the "send" button. Beware the Cyber-beast!