Taming the Tongue

I remember back in the days when parents disciplined their kids, sometimes they would be given the choice of either receiving short sharp discipline or having to sit through a long and drawn out ‘telling off.’ In the minds of a lot of kids, the ‘short sharp discipline’ was the preferred option! 

Opting for the ‘telling off’ tended to be taken if dad was administering the discipline. But the ‘telling off’ came with the risk of receiving both forms of discipline if a child was not able to hold their tongue. It’s not easy to hear someone telling you when you have not lived up to expectations, or to hear words of disappointment about you. Sometimes just the slightest harsh inflection or a word spoken in annoyance could haunt a person for years. And were you to speak when you’re feeling mistreated and emotional, well those words in response can sometimes also be laced with venom. Our words when spoken with an undisciplined tongue has the potential to change the trajectory of a person's life.  

This week we will look at chapter 3 of James and the impact that such a small part of our body can play in our lives. The tongue can bless, and in the same breath curse. If we are careless, it can burn down societies, families, and be the cause of profound pain and suffering in our relationships.

The tongue is to be tamed and kept in check, not always easy for us to do especially in the heat of the moment, but for our own sake and those around us, let’s pray for help to steward our tongues well. 

Josh