"Muscle Talk"

“Muscle Talk”

 

I recently did some research about the muscles in our bodies and learned some interesting facts:

  -We each have about 640 muscles, mostly pairs.

  -The largest is the gluteus maximus which helps keep us upright.

  -The longest is the sartorius which goes from our upper thigh to our knee.

  -The smallest (at 2mm) is the stapedius in the middle ear which controls the movement of the   stirrup (the smallest of the body’s 206 bones).

  -The most durable is the heart which at a pulse rate of 72 beats non-stop 3+ billion times during an 80 year life span.

These and many additional muscles we have work together to keep your body and mine functioning. In the words of David, “…I am fearfully and wonderfully made….” (Psalm 139:14).

But what’s the strongest muscle we have? Opinions vary, but some maintain it’s the tongue. (Actually it’s a network of eight muscles.) These “tongue experts” (now there’s a specialty—but many of us are pretty expert at using it) assert that by volume it’s more powerful than any other. And it never seems to get tired from overuse! Makes one wonder what life would be like if it were the size of the gluteus maximus!

Scripture cautions us about this 70 gram piece of flesh we carry around in our mouths, especially Proverbs (mentioned 23 times) and James. Our Lord’s brother warns his readers (including yours truly) that “…(It) is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts…(It) is a fire, a world of evil…it corrupts the whole person…No one can tame (it). It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.” (James 3:5-8). Doesn’t this description show that by impact it’s the body’s most powerful muscle?

When we exercise our muscles we must take precautions. Done the right way we gain strength for our benefit; wrongly we risk lasting damage. In like fashion, when we utilize the gift of speech as God desires we build up and encourage one another (not to mention the blessing it brings us)—when we misuse it we do so at our own and others’ peril (“Kind words heal and help; cutting words wound and maim.”—Proverbs 15:4, The Message).

May I heed more words from King David: “Set a guard over my mouth, O Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips.” (Psalm 141:3).

Blessings!

Jim McMillan (with helpful input from Karen)