Tame That Tongue

James 3

The Untamable Tongue

3 My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment. ² For we all stumble in many things. If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body. ³ Indeed, we put bits in horses’ mouths that they may obey us, and we turn their whole body. ⁴ Look also at ships: although they are so large and are driven by fierce winds, they are turned by a very small rudder wherever the pilot desires. ⁵ Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things.

See how great a forest a little fire kindles! ⁶ And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell. ⁷ For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind. ⁸ But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. ⁹ With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. ¹⁰ Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so. ¹¹ Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening? ¹² Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh.
¹³ Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom. ¹⁴ But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. ¹⁵ This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. ¹⁶ For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. ¹⁷ But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. ¹⁸ Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

 

 I grew up with a mother who had an unruly tongue.  And though it was entertaining at times, it was also vicious and condemning to me and others.  I had even learned a few tricks from her to stand people back when I found myself in awkward situations after entering the state penitentiary.  But, overall foul language bothered me.  My father didn’t use it, and neither did any of my friends or associates.  So it became easy to reprogram myself and not use verbal abuse against others.   My mother knocked on my bedroom door at age 17 and told me we were broke. Thinking my mother would never lie to me in spite of her lies to others, I believed her.  That lie cost me 18 years of jails, prisons, and institutions, a drug habit, fights, and mental, verbal, and physical abuse, along with the loss of her and my entire family.  Hell had control of my mother in an overwhelming way, and it hurt me to see her live out her 78 years in a lonely, destitute, and deteriorating manner.  At any time she could have given herself to our Lord.  Our tongues were designed to edify God, man, and His earth.  We are here to speak blessings to one another and bring peace upon ourselves and others lives.  But if we continue to speak, lie, and distort reality we’ll soon begin to believe it.  God says call those things that aren’t as though they are.  If you’re continuing to call a lie the truth, and the truth a lie, you will soon reap what you sow.  Tame that tongue and let it bless you with truth and peace all around.

 

Bless our tongues with righteousness,

 

Vincent Young, Christian Analyst