Taming the Tongue
Over my lifetime I have done a lot of things that have gotten me into trouble. I won’t go into those here, but I grew up in the 60’s so you can use your imagination. 
Of all the things though that have gotten me into trouble over my life, my mouth ranks as #1 for getting me in hot water. You can imagine my shock the other day when I was reading James and came upon Chapter 3 titled “Taming the Tongue.” I had to read it twice to get the full effect. If you have not read it before here it is in its entirety. Even if you have read it before, it’s worth the read again.
1 Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. 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.
3 When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. 4 Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. 5 Likewise 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. 6 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.
7 All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, 8 but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.
9 With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness. 10 Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. 11 Can both fresh water and salt[a] water flow from the same spring? 12 My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water. NIV
This has to be one of the most eye opening passages I have come across to date. Words can be hurtful to those around you. In most cases verbal abuse is much worse than physical abuse and will leave emotional scars that last much longer than the physical ones.
James teaches us that proper speech is not only saying the right words at the right time, but it is also controlling your desire to say what you shouldn’t. I work in a manufacturing environment. One of the sayings in our shop over the years is “measure twice, cut once.” I think we should use a similar axiom when dealing with our day to day conversations. “Think twice, speak once.” I know if I had read James years ago and used that axiom, my life and the lives of a lot of people around me would have been a lot better.
May 19 2009 06:21 pm | Bible Thoughts
Chris on 19 May 2009 at 8:20 pm #
How true Mike! Heres one I, personally should follow….think twice, post once!
kansasvike on 20 May 2009 at 3:15 am #
-
Mike
By grace we get what we don’t deserve.
By mercy we don’t get what we do deserve.
LARRY COCHRAN on 20 May 2009 at 8:39 am #
GOOD WORDS MIKE, I KNOW THEM, HAVE READ THEM , HAVE SIT UNDER PREACHING ON THESE WORDS. STILL, I FALL AWAY. ONLY GOD’S PRESENCE CAN KEEP ME STRONG.
THANKS FOR SHARING AND CARING.
Dave Bayne on 20 May 2009 at 2:40 pm #
Brother Mike, I have been a Viking fan since the late 60′s. I grew up in Eastern Montana, 3 TV channels. Usually the same winter weather the Black and Blue teams where playing in,was the same storm BLOWING my home town of GLASGOW. When I was lead to your web site of Viking news, I new it was the best place to keep informed of the most upto date news. I was very thankful. Then when you shared your New Relationship WITH JESUS, words will not describe the JOY and excitement in my SOUL. James was the first book of the BIBLE I read 9 years ago when I had asked Him into My Heart. GOD BLESS You and Yours!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ron (BaldViking) on 20 May 2009 at 6:01 pm #
This is very true. I like the way you used “Measure twice, cut once.” to relate to the “Think twice, speak once.” I know it drives my bosses at work nuts, but when they ask a question about something that I have a problem with, I think about what I’m going to say for a bit before I begin my reply. I know if I said it the way it originally pops into my head, I would get into a lot of trouble. They stand there and look at me like I’m stupid sometimes, but that’s okay. I’d rather say nothing, and look stupid than open my mouth and prove it.
kansasvike on 20 May 2009 at 9:27 pm #
Glad you like the site Dave. I’ve been to Montana many times when I work wheat harvest many years ago. I always loved that state. They don’t call it Big Sky for nothing. James is a great book. Besides chapter 3 there is a lot of good information there to live by. I like to refer to it quite often.
Thanks for the response and may the Lord be with you.
-
Mike
kansasvike on 20 May 2009 at 9:31 pm #
Hi Ron. Good to hear from you again. Always good to hear from a fellow Kansan. Hope the economy hasn’t bit you too hard down there. I also know what you mean about opening the mouth and proving it. I have removed all doubt in that area on more than a few occasions.
Take care my man. We have to do a game together someday.
-
Mike
By grace we get what we don’t deserve.
By mercy we don’t get what we do deserve.
kansasvike on 01 Jun 2009 at 3:06 am #
Hello Larry. Good to hear from you again. I don’t know why but your post got stuck in the Spam filter again and I didn’t catch it till a week later. Hope all is well with you and yours.
-
Mike
By grace we get what we don’t deserve.
By mercy we don’t get what we do deserve.