Not As It Should Be

Scripture:

For every creature - animal or bird, reptile or fish - is tamed and has been tamed by man,

but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.

With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men who are made in God’s likeness.
James 3:7-9



Observation:

Every person, at one time or another, speaks “vain, idle, angry, and sinful words” (John Gill’s Exposition of the Bible). Because we are human, none of us can ALWAYS curb and restrain (i.e. tame) our tongue.

The Greek for “evil” can also mean “not as it should be” and the Greek word for poison can refer to speaking angry insults and/or making false or inflammatory statements that are hurtful to others.

Whoa. How many of us during an argument with a loved one have found ourselves saying things that were exaggerated (inflammatory) and as a result ended up hurting the person to whom we spoke? James calls this deadly poison.

Death and life are in the power of the tongue

Proverbs 18:21a

Application:

In regards to both the words I speak and the words I think about uttering, “the tongue” is a barometer of the true state of my heart. In order to more consistently speak “life” into others, my heart needs to be more in line with the will of God.


Prayer:

I know I’ve prayed this Scripture here before, but it is OH SO APPLICABLE to today’s lesson:

Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

Psalm 139:23-24 KJV