Tame your tongue

^{James 3: 3-11
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 body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.

⁷ All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, ⁸ but no human being 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 human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. ¹⁰ Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. ¹¹ Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? ¹² My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.

Wow, what a great reminder.  We truly are the only ones who can "tame" our own tongues.  We can be provoked, angered, tempted, flustered, and our mouths just pop open and junk comes out.  And it can't be put back in.

In first grade, I must have had a pretty loose mouth, because I remember clearly, on more than one occasion, being made to sit alone in silence, as my teacher rebuked me, "if you can't say something nice it's better to say nothing at all!"  (I know, I'm in shock myself..)

How are you using (or abusing) your speaking privelages?  Consider each day an opportunity to bless or "burn" with your tongue.  Because out of the same mouth can come kindness, or evil.