James 3:11-12
All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. James 3:7-10
When you decide you no longer want to live by the way of this world, but would rather live according to the Spirit you must have self-discipline in all areas of your life, including your mouth. James 3 talks about the tongue and how powerful it is. It can build a person up, or it can tear them down. It can praise the Lord, and then belittle our brother or sister.
I grew up in such a church environment. I was put in the public's eye because of my family's standing in our community and my parents did something very strange, they took me out of school and taught me at home. 😲 In addition to that, my dad was also a state senator. I felt the pressure and after a while I decided to buck the system to a point.
A horse will do the same thing. When we are not consistent in how we communicate with our horse they become frustrated and will not accept us a leader. Therefore they will go their own way, and most of us know how that ends up. Some of us have the scars to prove it. We are also working with another horse that was brought to us for a tune up in preparation for the owners to sell. The reason they want to sell the horse is it is too much and it has bucked it's rider off before. In our eyes this is a fantastic horse, but it is tall and has a long stride and that can be intimidating to some riders. The rider feels the big stride and thinks the horse is moving fast and tries to slow the horse down by pulling on the reins. The horse then is confused because all it is doing is walking calmly. Since the rider is pulling on it and the horse is confused and now feels trapped, the horse then decides to eject the problem; aka bucks.
This is the same thing that happens to people under the same pressure. Jesus never treated people in this way. We are to be like Him. George Washington kept journals all through his time as General of the Continental army and as president. Do you know what his daily request in prayer was? He prayed daily for the Lord to make him more and more into the image of His Son, Jesus. Do you desire that? You should. We are God's hands and feet; we are His representatives on this earth. Now, that's a tall order that no one can measure up to on their own. Paul describes that battle in Romans 7 and settles on all men are wretched and need rescued. Who can save man from his demise? Thanks be to God, He has saved us through His Son Jesus Christ!
I can guarantee you one thing: my mouth will always get me into trouble. I say things I shouldn't say. I express opinions that others don't appreciate or take the wrong way. Words are powerful and can cut, they can cut deeper than a knife. That is why many people cut themselves, it hurts less than the words they hear. What an awful place to be. Who is at fault? Us. Each and every one of us. We are all fallen and broken. I have told our girls many times: "Hurt people, hurt people." It doesn't make it any less painful, but it does leave room for compassion. Paul also said,
If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. 1 Corinthians 13:1-3
The word love in the passage can be interchanged with compassion. How I keep my mouth in check is through prayer, for I know there is only One who can keep it controlled, and it's not me for I possess the spirit of Romans 7. My daily prayer is this: "Lord, place a guard over my mouth. (Psalm 141:3) Do not let any unwholesome speech depart from my lips, but only that what is beneficial to those listening. (Ephesians 4:29) May I only speak with wisdom, and may the Law of Your Kindness always be on my lips. (Proverbs 31:26)
The Word of God is a mirror for our soul. It will show us what is good and what is not good and what we need to change to be more like Him. When you find that, turn it into a prayer so you can be more like Him to draw others to the Lord.
Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do. James 1:22-25
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