“If anyone thinks he is religious without controlling his tongue, his religion is useless, and he deceives himself,” (James 1:26).
An uncontrolled tongue is often the source of conflict between people. A mother’s critique of her daughter’s clothing choice causes bitterness to brew between them. A coworker’s harsh evaluation of your performance stirs division among your department. When an outfielder drops the third pop fly that game, a coach’s unbridled tongue can destroy the player’s confidence and love for the game.
Later in this letter, James instructs the church to “consider ships: Though very large and driven by fierce winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. So too, though the tongue is a small part of the body, it boasts great things” (James 3:4-5a). Like a spark that sets the forest ablaze, an uncontrolled tongue will reap havoc on your life.
What hope is there for the believer? “If my tongue is an uncontrolled fire, then what can I do?” First, pray to the God of all language to bridle your tongue and direct you in what to say. As you think and say things that tear others down, confess to the God who forgives and endeavor to only speak words that raise up others. Second, listen far more than you speak. Common sense tells us that the body has two ears and one mouth, so we listen twice as much as we speak. If your tongue is running wild, keep it contained within your mouth and use your ears instead.
I wish to echo the author, that “with the tongue we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in God’s likeness. Blessing and cursing come out of the same mouth. My brothers and sisters, these things should not be this way” (James 3:9-10-). As we honor God with our tongues, we will be quick to see people around us as his image-bearers. How can I bless God and yet curse man made in his likeness? May it not be so among his people.