Originally posted 12/10/24
The idea of taming the tongue sounds so easy. My mother always told us to say nothing if we couldn’t say anything nice. That was a lesson I didn’t completely master. As I have gotten older, I am better. In my younger days, my tongue was sharp. I like to think I have matured and tempered my sharp tongue. I have to say that a sharp tongue comes naturally to me.
God’s Word addresses the tongue many times. The entire book of James, addresses the way in which we are to live the Christian life. In the third chapter of James the topic of the tongue is addressed. James 3:3-7 tells us, “If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind,” Our tongue is such a small part of our body, but it controls us. As a teacher, I used to ask students who spoke poorly if they kissed their mother with the same mouth. It was my hope to draw attention to how easily we can slip into destructive speech patterns.
I am particularly drawn to James 3:8-10, “but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so.” These verses stop me in my tracks every time that I read them. How are we doing?
Does this mean that we have an excuse not to even try. If it isn’t possible to bridle the tongue, should we just give up? I don’t think so. The journey of the Christian life is become more Christlike. We should strive to be more like Christ each and every day. Some days we will be successful and some days we will fall short. It does not mean that we have an excuse not to try.
Scripture addresses the tongue many other times. Our tongues reveal what is on minds and our hearts. Scripture confirms this. Matthew 15:11and tells us, “11 it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person.” … 18 But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person.”
We need to make a concerted effort to guard our tongue to speak good and not evil. Other passages that speak about the tongue:
- Psalm 50:19 “You give your mouth free rein for evil, and your tongue frames deceit.”
- Psalm 52:2 “Your tongue plots destruction, like a sharp razor, you worker of deceit.”
- Psalm 120:2 “Deliver me, O LORD, from lying lips, from a deceitful tongue.”
- Proverbs 12:19 “Truthful lips endure forever, but a lying tongue is but for a moment.”
- Proverbs 17:4 “An evildoer listens to wicked lips, and a liar gives ear to a mischievous tongue.”
- Proverbs 17:20 “A man of crooked heart does not discover good, and one with a dishonest tongue falls into calamity.”
Scripture is clear that our words will either be good or bad. I want my words to reflect my love for Jesus.
Psalm 35:28 “Then my tongue shall tell of your righteousness and of your praise all the day long.”
Psalm 37:30 “The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks justice.”
We need to be praying each day that the Lord will temper our tongues. As we grow in our relationship with the Lord, may our words become more pleasing to the Lord.
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