Watch What You Say

“Look at the ships also, though they are so great and are driven by strong winds, are still directed by a very small rudder wherever the inclination of the pilot desires. So also the tongue is a small part of the body, and yet it boasts of great things. See how great a forest is set aflame by such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire, the very world of iniquity; the tongue is set among our members as that which defiles the entire body, and sets on fire the course of our life, and is set on fire by hell. For every species of beasts and birds, of reptiles and creatures of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by the human race. But no one can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil and full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God; from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be this way.” James 3:4-10

When Hitler’s forces seemed poised to rake England after their blitzkrieg of Europe, British posters with this warning appeared in all villages: “Careless talk costs lives.” The objective was to make all citizens conscious of the danger of loose lips. The nation feared German intelligence gathering crucial information regarding British troop placements and defense strategies.

Nowhere in a believer’s lie is his difference more overt than in his speech. Tragically, the words of most Christians are just as critical as the world around us. A holy life calls for holy lips, consecrated to God just as completely as our bodies, spirit, and minds. What we say in private and public is an accurate barometer of the condition of our heart.

When you talk, do others hear the love, compassion, and wisdom of the indwelling Christ; or do they hear the usual dross of the world? Does your speech reveal your faith or obscure it? Ask the Captain of your soul to steer your tongue in the paths of righteousness, and both you and your hearers will be blessed.

“Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit.” Psalm 34:13