Whiskey and water?

When we were in Ireland, we were introduced to various whiskies and their levels of quality. Those considered best advertise a triple distillation process for purity of taste and experience.. When choosing a water filtration system (pitcher, faucet, or whole house), I searched for the one which would remove the greatest number of contaminants. However, I also wanted an alkalizer to reduce the level of acid in the water we were drinking, since cancer grows in an acidic environment. In fact, acid in our various drinks (coffee, tea, alcohol, soda...) exacerbates a variety of medical conditions, including inflammation.

This morning God spoke to me about acidic speech, convicting me to alkalize mine. The acidic tongue causes inflammation, too.*  He then recommended a triple filtering process for the mouth.  It reminded me of Rotary International's Four-Way Test:  
1) Is it the truth?
2) Is it fair to all concerned?
3) Will it build goodwill and better friendships?
4) Will it be beneficial to all concerned?

I suspect God is on-board with Rotary's questions, since they appear quite scriptural.  However, He recommended to me His own verbal filtration process, as well:

Filter 1: Filtration through time (Count to 10 before speaking and then 'speak the truth in love.') [I got a kick out of that one. It sounded so 'un-spiritual.']
Filter 2: Filtration through His Word (Does what I am about to say, or the way I'm saying it, 
violate the Word of God, literally or at its heart?)
Filter 3: Filtration through His Holy Spirit (Would what I am about to say grieve the Holy Spirit?) [Obviously, filters 2 and 3 are inextricably woven together.]

Am I speaking with honor and respect, no matter how angry I might be? Am I speaking hard truths in love, with a merciful heart? Will what I am about to say edify or tear down? Do I take offense easily?  Am I carrying resentment? Am I speaking forth everything that comes to mind, regardless of its possible impact on others? Scripture has a great deal to say about the power of the tongue, for both good and evil.  Let's ask the Father to help us immerse our tongues in a triple-filtered bath.  He understands our struggles and never condemns us, but He desires our sanctification, both for our good and for His Kingdom.

For most of us, it has been a gradual process of purification of our tongues:  from foul-mouthed...to
purified speech... to kind words in response to anger...to speaking what will build up, even when it takes courage to do so to potentially volatile recipients.  I find, however, that sometimes it's three steps forward and one step backward (or is it the other way around?). The sanctification process is rarely linear, I think.  Let's not get discouraged, but rather keep voluntarily re-entering the filter pitcher.  Even now, we can look back and see the gradual progress we've made toward alkalization.  God is able to finish the work He began in us when we first gave ourselves to Him in grateful love. He's delighted every time we make the right, hard choices, but His love is constant,  Remember, He's both our Coach and our Cheerleader.  Go ahead...make Him grin!
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*For example, you should not say, as these characters do from the Water Valley series by Jeff High, which I’m enjoying,
“Constance, don’t you need to go somewhere dark and hang upside down for awhile?”
“John Horacio Harris, it’s a good thing I’ve got the love of Jesus in me. Because, otherwise, I would have  slapped your nose around to the back of your hairy head.  You’d go to your grave looking like Cousin It from the Adams Family.”
— The Fullness of Time; WaterValley, Book 4 by Jeff High
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I would quote a variety of Scriptures here, but I have an entire notebook on the power of the tongue.  If you've never really studied this topic, start with James, Proverbs, and the Psalms.  If you copy the 'tongue-related' verses down, your hand will get weary, but you'll have a greater grasp of how important our speech is in God's eyes...to either create or destroy.  

Here are just a few:

"Smart people know how to hold their tongue; their grandeur is to forgive and forget." --Prov 19:11; The Message

Ephesians 4:29-32 [Look this one up now, especially in the Amplified version.

"A person’s wisdom yields patience; it is to one’s glory to overlook an offense."  (same verse in NIV)

 But the fruit of the Spirit [the result of His presence within us] is love [unselfish concern for others], joy, [inner] peace, patience [not the ability to wait, but how we act while waiting], kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control.  --Galatians 5:22-23; Amplified

"A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger"   --Prov 15:1

Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret—it leads only to evil.  --Psalm 37:8

And on a positive note:

"Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them."  --Mark 11:23

Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.  --Ephesians 4:15

Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing."  --1 Thess 5:11