The Untamed Tongue and The God Who Can Tame It

James 3:3-10 (NLT)
3  We can make a large horse go wherever we want by means of a small bit in its mouth.
4  And a small rudder makes a huge ship turn wherever the pilot chooses to go, even though the winds are strong.
5  In the same way, the tongue is a small thing that makes grand speeches. But a tiny spark can set a great forest on fire.
6  And the tongue is a flame of fire. It is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself.
7  People can tame all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and fish,
8  but no one can tame the tongue. It is restless and evil, full of deadly poison.
9  Sometimes it praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it curses those who have been made in the image of God.
10  And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right!

Devotional: James does not leave us with much room for self-congratulation. He makes it plain that no human being can fully tame the tongue on their own. Left to ourselves, the same mouth that sings praise on Sunday is capable of inflicting wounds on Monday. This is not a call to despair -- it is a call to surrender. The horse is controlled by the bit. The ship is steered by the rudder. And the tongue, that restless and dangerous member, can be brought under discipline when we yield ourselves fully to Christ. What controls you controls your words. Submit your heart to God and watch your words begin to change.

Personal Reflection: In what relationships or situations does your tongue tend to cause the most damage? What does that reveal about what is stored in your heart?

Practical Application: Spend ten minutes in quiet prayer today, specifically surrendering your speech to God. Ask him to be the rudder that steers what comes out of your mouth.