Taming the Tongue

I was talking to a friend the other day (she has a newborn), about the joys of being a new mom.  We laughed when we started discussing how much laundry just one little person can create!  I think we both agreed that the job at least doubles, what with all the clothes and cloths that get soiled as a result of an upset tummy or those infamous newborn diapers.

You know, the Bible speaks of a very small part of our body that has the potential to create much more serious problems than additional laundry.  Can you guess what it is?  That's right, our tongue.  I was introducing Ashlyn to some of the Bible verses on the tongue the other day, and she was quick to point out that our tongue was very important and started trying to talk without using it.  We laughed about that, but truly, it seems like sometimes we would be better off without it, doesn't it?

Nearly all of James 3 is dedicated to explaining the dangers of this small but destructive muscle inside our mouths.  In fact, verse 8 calls it "a restless evil and full of deadly poison."  James describes the tongue as a bit inside a horse's mouth or a rudder of a ship.  He is referring to the power that the tongue has over a person's influence and how controlling it can be.  According to John MacArthur, James' epistle consistently stresses "that a person's speech provides the most revealing glimpse of his spiritual condition."  That's a heavy statement, but then you can't really deny what the Bible says about this subject.  James 1:26 is just one example, "If anyone thinks himself to be religious, and yet does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this man's religion is worthless."  

So how do you tame this "restless evil"?  We can't.  The Bible is clear that only God can tame the tongue.  It goes back to Jesus' commandment to love God with our whole heart and to love each other.  Love, as well as self control, is listed as a fruit of the Holy Spirit in your life (Galatians 5:22).  It is a result of loving God with all of our hearts and minds and loving others the way He desires.  It is a result of letting the Holy Spirit be in charge of our words instead of our own inclinations.  When we do that, then our tongue can be used for His purposes.

There is so much to be said about this, and there is so much about this in God's Word (which means that God takes this very seriously).  I challenge you to do your own research on this.  Go to the book of Proverbs and see how many verses you can find on speech.  For now, I'll leave you with these verses to think about:

He who restrains his words has knowledge

And he who has a cool spirit is a 

man of understanding

Even a fool, when he keeps silent,

is considered wise;

When he closes his lips, 

he is considered prudent.

Proverbs 17:27-28

Death and life are in the power of the tongue,

And those who love it will eat its fruit.

Proverbs 18:21