December 5, 2011 Listen to Your Tongue

Listen to Your Tongue
Read James 3 – 5

James 3:9-12 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 water flow from the same spring?

I’M GUILTY. I preach of praising God. Yet, I speak and think in judgment of people who irritate and oppose me. Isn’t that okay? After all, Jesus certainly spoke harsh words to many who opposed him. The Bible has many more harsh words from God through the prophets against people who opposed God.
The thing is, God is perfect and we’re not. James is teaching us to guard our words carefully. If you praise God, how can you speak ill of others? If you speak against God’s creation—his people—you speak against God. Your praises, then, are lies.
To be true to your words, speak well of others. If someone irritates you, you might consider how you have irritated others. Let it go. If someone speaks harsh words against you, think of how harsh words have never helped. Find a way to speak positive words to the offender.
It helps when we look to God’s overwhelming love over us. Dwelling in his love, we can more easily speak lovingly of others—even when we don’t want to do so.
Go ahead. Try it. I find when I trust God and hold my tongue from anger, my heart changes. My blood pressure drops. My thoughts go to God. I don’t feel the shame an outburst would cause me to feel.


Pause and Consider: how holding your tongue is a sign you trust God to handle the situation.