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Recently, I had a basal cell carcinoma removed from the top of my left ear by the Mohs method.

Before my doctor started the procedure, I asked, “Isn’t it unusual to have one of these things on an ear? I don’t even know how I got it.”

I’m thinking to myself at the time that I’m probably a one-of-a-kind patient, and maybe my case will be written about in a medical journal.

“No, I’ve seen plenty of these things on ears as well as noses,” he replied.  

Okay, so much for my case going famous.

For the first two weeks, the pain made smiling, coughing, yawning, sneezing, and chewing my food difficult. Shampooing, blow-drying, and combing my hair on my left side became tricky chores, and my husband witnessed unwanted drama in our bathroom. Even my sleeping positions altered during the healing time.

When all was said and done, I ended up with about an inch sliced off the top of my ear lobe, leaving it with a slight resemblance to Star Trek Spock’s ears. Ugh.

Well, at least I have my ear, I mused as I looked in the mirror.

Not so much with Malchus, whom we read about in the New Testament. Peter draws his sword and cuts off the guy’s ear in the Garden of Gethsemane just before they seize Jesus to be crucified.

To Peter’s credit, he loved Jesus fiercely, so much so that he reacted to the challenge of the moment, defending Jesus from the detachment of troops. Peter had good intentions. Even so, we read in Matthew that Jesus chastised Peter and told him to put away his sword.

Sometimes, we’re like Peter, with tongues like swords, ready to strike out in knee-jerk reactions against others. Sure, we may have good intentions, but spiritually speaking, we are in danger of cutting off someone’s ear.

I know what it literally feels like to have part of my ear cut away. God’s Word tells us that a gentle tongue is a tree of life, but if we are perverse, we can break other’s spirits.

Think of some steps you can take to keep your tongue gentle.

(Photo courtesy of pixabay and titoikids.)