"If any think they are religious, and do not bridle their tongues but deceive their hearts, their religion is worthless." (James 1:26, NRSV)Our tongues too frequently betray us, getting us in all sorts of trouble. From gossip to slander; even words intended for good sometimes cause harm to others. James speaks at length about the problem of taming out tongues in chapter 3. And many verses in Proverbs talk of the ways our tongues fail us.
"A lying tongue hates those it hurts, and a flattering mouth works ruin." (Proverbs 26:28, NIV)But there is hope; Proverbs also provide great wisdom on how to properly use on our tongues. Namely, we must make every effort to use it only for good - to speak well of others, to offer compassionate, healing words, and to express our love for one another.
"The words of the reckless pierce like swords, but the tongue of the wise brings healing." (Proverbs 12:18, NIV)And when we feel we cannot use it for good, we simply must use the bridle (and any other control we may have) in order to restrain it.
"Those who guard their mouths and their tongues keep themselves from calamity." (Proverbs 21:23, NIV)How is your tongue doing? Are you able to use it wisely? Are you able to control it? When we struggle - and we will struggle - we will do well to consider God's word on the matter. We can review James' thoughts and read (and re-read) the wisdom of Proverbs. The more we use our tongue to praise God, the less we can use it for ill.
Gracious God - Your word makes it clear that you know all too well how we struggle to control our tongues. But we thank you for those words that offer encouragement and wisdom to aid in our efforts. We pray that each one of us honors you with our words, for when we are doing so, we cannot also be using our tongues for harm. May your Spirit continue to guide us in our efforts. We ask these things in Jesus' name. Amen.
