Taming the Tongue - James 3.1-12
Hi, Luke’s wife here.
Truth be told, Luke isn’t the one in our marriage who has a hard time controlling his words. Anyone who knows us, knows … it’s me. [insert sheepish guilty look here]. I’m a “words girl” and always have been. I once heard it said that “words are gifts” and that’s a motto I can’t help but live by. I run my trap almost all day, every day. Ask anyone.
That said, my words are not always used as gifts to bless, encourage and build others up. Far from it, in fact. I remember a time when my dad sat me down late in high school to address the strength and power of my terribly sharp and critical tongue. Somewhere along the line I’d made a game of outwitting an opponent with as few words as possible. Isn’t that sad? And sick? My dad’s rebuke struck a very deep and knowing chord in my heart and had staying power in spite of the fact that he passed away only a few short years later.
Let me be clear. My tongue was not instantly fixed. Not even close. I have hurt innumerable people with harsh truth, brutal honesty, unbridled retort, and sarcasm rooted in my limited but highly judgmental perception. I am, without doubt, the one most qualified to write this entry on the power of our words.
Thankfully, the Bible addresses people just like me and the author James takes us head-on. His succinct and poignant words are striking. Check out just a few of his points:
“If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless.” James 1.26
Ouch.
“... the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.” JAMES 3.5-6
Worse than ouch.
I’m so thankful for the grace and forgiveness afforded to me through the death and resurrection of Jesus. If not for Him, I would never have any hope. I would never be able to fix this mouth. Thankfully, He’s not done with me. I’ve come such a long way since age 17 and still have a long way to go. This message (below) was incredibly helpful to me and has a 1-week challenge that I’m taking to heart. I hope it will bless you too.