If you claim to be religious but don’t control your tongue, you are fooling yourself, and your religion is worthless.
James 1:26 NLT
Self-control is a fruit of the Spirit.
Hypocrites pretend to be righteous, but their words and actions betray them.
You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.
The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil.
Matthew 12:34-35 ESV
What we say reveals what’s in our hearts. Is it genuine love? Or is it bitterness?
Indeed, we all make many mistakes. For if we could control our tongues, we would be perfect and could also control ourselves in every other way.
And among all the parts of the body, the tongue is a flame of fire. It is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself.
People can tame all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and fish, but no one can tame the tongue. It is restless and evil, full of deadly poison.
Sometimes it praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it curses those who have been made in the image of God.
And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right!
James 3:2, 6-10 NLT
We are created in the image of God. We are meant to be a blessing to others, not a curse. We are supposed to speak the truth in love.
How well are we representing the Kingdom of God? Are we loving one another like Jesus does? Or are we tearing others down with our words?
What we say is important. Let’s submit our tongues to the Lordship of Christ, as well as our hearts.
Prayer Points
- Seek the Lord in prayer and see where you have not used your words in a God honoring way.
- Ask the Lord to forgive you.
- Forgive the people who have spoken in unloving ways towards you.
Father, forgive us, for we know not what we do. Sometimes we bless others with our words. Sometimes we curse those made in the image of God. This should not be. As we confess that we have sinned with our mouths, cleanse us of all unrighteousness. Hold not our sin against us. And Lord, we forgive everyone who has uttered an unkind word toward us. Wipe the slate clean. May we begin afresh today and only say that which ministers grace to the hearer. Amen.
Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water.
James 3:11-12 ESV
Recommended reading: James 1 & 3 and Matthew 12.
Igniter Ministries 