Taming the Tongue

When many people read what James has to say about taming the tongue, they naturally think of gossip or telling lies or hurting people with our words or bragging about our accomplishments. All these are part of taming the tongue. That can be a lifelong process.

But the passages that really get to me are verses 9 & 10. This really causes me, most of the time, to think before I speak about someone. Especially if I don't particularly like the person. Or maybe it is someone I don't even know personally but is "famous" - a politician, an actor, a church leader - and I disagree with what I read and hear about them.

Even if I don't use profanity, I can still curse someone by holding them in disdain or ridiculing them or dismissing them as stupid or unworthy of thought or respect. ALL people are made in the image of God.

My mom used to say if you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all. That old saying is at the heart of these verses. But in our society today, we all have a "right" to speak our minds and we are bombarded with political pundits and entertainment gurus who want to speak all the dirt they can about everyone they can. It is our habit, although a very bad habit, to have our say, to voice our opinion, to jump into the fray - whatever you want to call it - over things that really don't matter much in the greater scope of things but they cause use to speak all sorts of curses over people made in the image of God.

God loves those we hate. Jesus died for those we disagree with. The Holy Spirit can convict them AND me of sin and draw us to Jesus.

So, do I praise Jesus on Sunday and curse the President on Monday? This should not be!!