Originally, it was called the “Automatic Continuous Clothing Closure” and a patent was sought by Elias Howe, Jr. in 1851. Once the patent was obtained, the inventor did nothing with it. Then, a similar invention came on the scene courtesy of Whitcomb Judson in 1893 and was called Clasp Locker. The viability of this product wasn’t achieved, and consumers showed little interest. The next evolution of the product bore the name Separable Fastener and arrived on the scene in 1913. It was made by Gideon Sunback. Interest in the product grew but it wasn’t until 1926 that it stormed the market, thanks to B.F. Goodrich.
Immediately, the name B.F. Goodrich makes us think of tires. However, there was a time when this company was involved in fashion. They made boots and galoshes. Of course, they had rubber soles. But they took Sunback’s invention, tweaked it, added it to their foot wear, and came up with the most common name for the product: a zipper. The zipper took off and today, we can’t imagine life without the zipper.
If you have a coat or something with a zipper, take a close look at the mechanism. Many zippers will feature the letters YKK on the large brass piece or silver piece. What does that mean?
YKK stands for Yoshida Kogyo Kabushikikaisha. Imagine the size the zipper would need to be to fit all of that on it! Yoshida is the name of the Japanese man who, in 1934, founded the company that would manufacture over half of all the world’s zippers. Kogyo Kabushikikaisha roughly translates as Company Limited.
Have you ever told someone (or wanted to but didn’t have the courage) to zip it? You weren’t talking about the embarrassing moment where our zipper is in the down position rather than up. You were wanting someone to zip their lips shut! With your children, you may have given them the motion of zipping the lip and throwing away the key. Why? Because they were talking too much.
The book of Job is full of individuals talking. Job and his friends never seemed to lack speaking. You will need to go to the passage to read the context in order to understand who is speaking but take a moment to read the verses calling for zipped lips.
Job 6:24 Teach me, and I will hold my tongue: and cause me to understand wherein I have erred.
Job 13:5 O that ye would altogether hold your peace! and it should be your wisdom.
Job 18:2 How long will it be ere ye make an end of words? …
Job 29:9-10 The princes refrained talking, and laid their hand on their mouth. (10) The nobles held their peace, and their tongue cleaved to the roof of their mouth.
Job 40:3-5 Then Job answered the LORD, and said, (4) Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer thee? I will lay mine hand upon my mouth. (5) Once have I spoken; but I will not answer: yea, twice; but I will proceed no further.
The book of Job has instruction in common with James. James 1:19 says, “Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath.” There is great value in learning when to zip it as well as learning when to speak. We dare not confuse the two!
As Christians, we know that controlling the tongue is a difficult battle. However, through the power of the Holy Spirit, we can get control of our tongue. We can train it to speak words that praise God and edify others. We can allow the Spirit to speak 
through us as we testify of the Gospel and the wonderful truths of the Word. The Spirit can govern our tongues, prompting us about what to say and when to appropriately be silent.
If you need a lip zipper, today would be a good day to cry out to the Lord and surrender your tongue on God’s altar. Let the Lord be the One who controls that zipper pull tab, opening and closing it at His will and desire.
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