Don’t say anything that would hurt another person. Instead, speak only what is good so that you can give help wherever it is needed. That way, what you say will help those who hear you. Ephesians 4:29 (God's Word Translation)
I haven't read much about this God's Word Translation version - to make sure it is all translated according to the original meaning - but I sure like how blunt it is with things we all need to hear!
My words....maybe your words....sometimes come out of my mouth before I take time to think about them! That's not good!
It's no wonder that James warned about the tongue in his letter. It is an uncontrollable evil. Scripture says "no one can tame the tongue", so it is hard. We can't do it on our own, but with God's help....with the Holy Spirit working inside of us....we can tame it. And we must, if we're striving to look more like Jesus.
If a person thinks that he is religious but can’t control his tongue, he is fooling himself. That person’s religion is worthless.
James 1:26
All of us make a lot of mistakes. If someone doesn’t make any mistakes when he speaks, he would be perfect. He would be able to control everything he does. 3 We put bits in the mouths of horses to make them obey us, and we have control over everything they do. 4 The same thing is true for ships. They are very big and are driven by strong winds. Yet, by using small rudders, pilots steer ships wherever they want them to go. 5 In the same way the tongue is a small part of the body, but it can brag about doing important things.
A large forest can be set on fire by a little flame. 6 The tongue is that kind of flame. It is a world of evil among the parts of our bodies, and it completely contaminates our bodies. The tongue sets our lives on fire, and is itself set on fire from hell. 7 People have tamed all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and sea creatures. 8 Yet, no one can tame the tongue. It is an uncontrollable evil filled with deadly poison.
9 With our tongues we praise our Lord and Father. Yet, with the same tongues we curse people, who were created in God’s likeness. 10 Praise and curses come from the same mouth. My brothers and sisters, this should not happen!
James 3:2-10
Let's think more about our words today, and use them to help, not hurt. Let's strive to glorify God with our words!
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