For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to bridle his whole body.
Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire!
With [our tongue] we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. My [sisters], these things ought not to be so.
James 3:2; 4-5; 9-10
Can you believe James 3:2? If you never stumbled in what came out of your mouth, you would be a perfect woman. James doesn’t mean you can be made perfect by trying hard to control your tongue; he’s making the point that what you say reveals what’s inside. Jesus says in Luke 6:45 that out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. Our words are like a litmus test for the condition of our hearts.
We know from the book of James and throughout the Bible that our words matter. God spoke the world into existence (Genesis 1). Jesus taught in parables. When God chose to communicate about Himself to the world, He chose words.
In her Bible study on James, Jen Wilkin observes that our words have the power to create or destroy. We can create trust by speaking truth and courage to try new things with encouragement, but we can also destroy character with gossip and joy with our criticism and sarcasm.
Our words have a lasting impact. They don’t go away once they are spoken. They also don’t disappear when they’re typed on Facebook, Twitter, or email—even if you delete them. Who hasn’t been told something that still hurts them years later? Who hasn’t said something that they wish they could take back?
Take some time to reflect on your words this last week. Have you blessed your Lord and Savior then cut on other girls around you, passed on rumors, or gossiped about your roommate?
Let’s not allow the words we speak (and type) to come against the most important and beautiful words ever spoken—the Gospel.
(If you'd like to check out Jen Wilkins Bible study on James you can find it at www.flowermound.com)
