Tag Archive for: Tongue

I Need a Muzzle

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Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs,that it benefit this who listen. (Ephesians 4:29)

What would happen if I lived by this one verse alone?  I wonder how much my surroundings would change.  How would it change the mood of my conversations?  How would it enhance my relationships?

I have looked this up in the Greek to understand the context a little better and I’ve found that this is something that is to be actively present in my life from now until eternity.  So much so that I am commanded to do so.  It is absolutely imperative that I keep tight reign over my tongue.

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Fresh Water

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With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness.  Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water. (James 3:9-12)

I saw a great example of this passage of Scripture the other day when I was walking with a friend, let’s just call her “Charlie”.  Charlie has often mentioned the grace of God and all that she’s been given.  But on this particular walk, my friend decided to take the complaining route.  Charlie launched into a whole discussion about what she doesn’t have and how unfair it is.  Just as Charlie was getting to the tip of her feelings, we walked by a little boy crying.  This was great!  I turned to Charlie and said, “That’s how you sound to God right now!”  We both got a good laugh out of it and enjoyed the rest of our walk.

Unfortunately, many of us take the route of complaining and often sound like the little boy crying because his sister is beating him on a race with her bike.  We cry, we complain, and we crowd out the grace of God by our whining.  Our mouths are filled with fresh water and salt water on a daily basis.  We choose to daily surrender our desires and our hopes to the Lord.  We choose to be fresh water or salt water every day.

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A Rare Jewel

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In the same sense, the tongue is a small part of the body, and yet it boasts of great things. See [by comparison] how great a forest is set on fire by a small spark! And the tongue is [in a sense] a fire, the very world of injustice and unrighteousness; the tongue is set among our members as that which contaminates the entire body, and sets on fire the course of our life [the cycle of man’s existence], and is itself set on fire by hell (Gehenna). (James 3:5-6)

What do a bit, rudder, spark, and tongue have in common?  Well, James 3 shows us that each is small but powerful and effective as a controller.  The bit in a horse’s mouth helps him obey his master.  The rudder on a ship is small but steers the boat wherever the captain wants it to go.  A small spark can start a forest fire.  And our tongue can set the whole course of our lives on fire, if we do not learn how to control it.

My tongue is definitely full of poison and has the power to start many forest fires in a day.  I tend to see that I have the power to stop a small forest fire or ignite it.  Every conversation is a new opportunity to breathe life or destroy life.  I want so badly to breathe life into others through my words.  I pray that every word I speak will come under the full authority of my Lord and Savior.

“A word aptly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.” (Proverbs 25:11)

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Tongue Tied

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For we all stumble and sin in many ways. If anyone does not stumble in what he says [never saying the wrong thing], he is a perfect man [fully developed in character, without serious flaws], able to bridle his whole body and rein in his entire nature [taming his human faults and weaknesses]. (James 3:2, AMP)

Let’s take a look at James 3 this week.  Please try to find time to read it, so that you can get even more out of the devotionals this week.

I will be giving you a daily verse with a picture.  Please feel free to choose one to memorize.  You are welcome to drag any picture to your desktop and use it as a tool to memorize Scripture.

Let’s talk about James 3:2…

“We all stumble in many ways.  If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check.”

This passage of Scripture hits the nail on the head.  We ALL stumble in many ways!  None of us has this down yet, but God continues to give us instructions on how to be better at this thing called life.  The tongue is the most difficult member of the body to control.  It wants to have it’s own way.  It often says things without thinking through them.  It is loose.  Let’s take time to train our tongues this week!

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Slow to Speak

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The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. (Matthew 12:35-36)

All I have to say is, “Yikes!”  I’m going to be held accountable for every careless word that comes out of my mouth.  Yowser!  I don’t know if you are anything like me, but I can probably count on at least one careless word a day.  I’d love to say I’ve conquered this, that some how I’ve learned the art of “being quick to listen and slow to speak (James 1:19).”  But that wouldn’t be very honest of me.

I’m seeing that I have to slow down quite a bit, listen up a lot more, and speak less frequently.  I want to be more careful when choosing my response to others.  I want my words to be Christlike, to be a reflection of God’s work in me, and to be completely honoring to God.  I want to choose each word wisely!

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