Guide Your Mind-Guard Your Heart-Grace Your TongueShembull

If our tongues are not bridled but left uncontrolled, they can be guilty of arson! They might be paltry in size and rarely seen, but they are able to inflict a great deal of scorching and destruction. In the unseen world, which is more real than the world we see with our eyes, we participate in a horrific act of arson whenever we are unkind to someone with our tongues. When you or I choose to ridicule someone, a life is unfairly engulfed in vicious and fierce flames. Likewise, when you or I choose to spread an unsubstantiated rumor, we scorch something very precious in a person’s life. 

James is very clear where this predisposition is born—it is conceived in hell. Fire comes from fire; the fire that your tongue spreads was collected in the fires of hell. The enemy often tries to influence the choices that our tongues make, but there is a way to stop his influence and set him on the run. In James 3, you are told that you must put that bridle on; then you must be the captain of your ship and use your rudder to steer the ship out of turbulent waters and torrential storms. Finally, you must determine that your tongue will never set another fire. 

While your tongue has the ability to set people’s lives on fire through negativity and callous speech, always remember that it also has the power to elevate people’s lives with positivity and encouragement, especially those who are closest to you. When your speech is flavored with grace, and when the words from your tongue are lavishly generous with understanding, you are causing someone’s life to flourish like a well-watered garden. Your tongue is able to bring new growth into a person’s world and to deliver extraordinary health to their relationships. What divine possibilities! 

Personal Application: Make a point to spend time in prayer asking your heavenly Father to take charge of your out-of-control tongue and to make it a means of blessing for others.