Who Controls Your Tongue?
When you are in Christ, you control your tongue. Your tongue does not control you.
James tells us that if anyone considers himself religious but does not bridle his tongue, he deceives his own heart. That word bridle paints a powerful picture. A bridle is used to control and direct something much stronger than itself.
Our tongues need a bridle.
What are you using your words for?
Are you using them to edify, build up, encourage, speak life, and spread the Word of God? Or are you using them to cuss, tear down, mock, belittle, gossip, or embarrass someone else?
And here’s one that hit me personally.
I give my brothers and sisters a hard time all the time. And I’ve always said to them, “That’s how I joke. That’s just how I am. The day I quit giving you a hard time is the day you know I’m upset with you.”
And that may be true. If I’m not talking to one of my brothers, there’s a good chance I’m upset with them.
But that doesn’t make the other part right.
When I’m not upset with my brothers and sisters, why should I be giving them a hard time? Why shouldn’t I be building them up? Encouraging them? Loving on them? Speaking life into them?
I know from personal experience what it feels like when someone gives me a hard time and then says, “Oh, I’m just joking.”
Sometimes the joke still hurts.
And when the same joke, comment, or criticism is repeated enough times, it can hurt even more. We may laugh it off. We may pretend it didn’t bother us. We may even joke back.
But that doesn’t mean it didn’t leave a mark.
So if I know what that feels like, why would I want my words to make someone else feel that way?
Scripture says:
“No foul language should come from your mouth, but only what is good for building up someone in need, so that it gives grace to those who hear.” — Ephesians 4:29 CSB
Notice Scripture doesn’t give us an exception for “I was only joking.”
That’s convicting for me because I’m just as guilty of this as anybody.
If my words aren’t building my brother or sister up, encouraging them, strengthening them, pointing them toward Christ, or giving grace to them, then maybe I need to ask myself why I’m saying them in the first place.
We don’t have to say everything that comes into our minds.
Bridle the tongue.
Before you speak, ask yourself:
Will these words build them up—or tear them down?
Because when Christ is Lord of your life, He should also be Lord of your mouth.
You control your tongue.
Your tongue does not control you.
“If anyone thinks he is religious without controlling his tongue, his religion is useless and he deceives himself.” — James 1:26 CSB
Today, let’s use our mouths to speak life, give grace, encourage one another, love one another, and glorify Jesus Christ.
Rev. Carlos Figueroa
TheFreeBible.org
