From the Same Mouth

"With [the tongue] we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so." James 3:9-10

There have been times I've caught myself saying something unkind about a person or maybe a group of people and God has speared my heart with conviction of sin. In the verse prior to those above, James says, "no one can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison." 

How easy it is for us to tear down those we don't like or those we disagree with. As the political season heats up, the posturing for position in the polls begins, and the desire to win takes over the reaction of many who profess to be followers of Jesus will be to denigrate those who are on the "wrong" side, meaning the side the person speaking is not for.

Or what about all the debate over illegal immigrants. Do we hate a whole race of people, forgetting that they are made in the image of God? Do we tag them with labels that are demeaning - not having met or talked with any of them - lumping the legals and illegals all together?

Or what about the single mom with the unruly kids? Do we try to help or just shake our heads and talk about what a terrible mom she is?

Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me. How untrue that is! Words are powerful and there are no take-backs. Once said the words are in our minds and can shape our lives for good or bad. My mom used to say if you can't say something nice, don't say anything when I was tattling on my brother or complaining about the kid down the street.

Sure there are times when sin needs to be confronted or a person needs to be talked to about an issue but that is done on a personal level with someone we have a relationship with. To make brash, broad statements about someone's competence, intelligence or purposes is to have an untamed tongue. How can we worship Jesus on Sunday and on Monday be spewing all sorts of trash about someone? James says it ought not to be.