Who can tame the tongue?

James 3

"All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring?" James 3:7-12

Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. Ephesians 4:15

There are many things that should be said, but there are many things that should not be said. And there are many things that should be said privately and in love and respect for the other person, especially if what you are saying is your opinion and not based on scripture. Who can discern all of that? Who can always have their tongue and the attitude behind their tongue constantly in check? The Bible tells us that no man can. Do we have any hope?

Let's look a little closer at the verses:

All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, but no man can tame the tongue. James 3:7 (emphasis mine)

No man can tame their own tongue. We cannot and will not ever be able to do this in our own strength. We must rely on the Holy Spirit of God to tame this smallest and strongest muscle in our body.

The power of words are truly amazing. I'm sure even as you are reading this you can remember a time that someone's encouragement truly made a difference in your life. I am also sure you can remember when someone harsh words cut you to the heart. As a general rule, words are very important to women. We also tend to use more of them. Let us be mindful of what we are saying, how we are saying it, and who we are saying it to.

But, what if a rebuke is necessary? If we have truly prayed and sought the heart of God and know that He wants us to talk to someone about an area in their lives, then we must go in love. Anything else is judgment, will be seen that way, and ultimately will not be received. The only thing we will have accomplished is wounding another soul with words that cannot be taken back.

Today, spend some time in prayer about your mouth and what comes out of it. Ask the Holy Spirit to make you aware of what you are saying and how it is being perceived. Most of all, ask Him to help you speak everything in love.