“For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body.” James 3:2
January 24, 2025
Growing up as a Christian has its challenges. One basic truth involved is learning to be a consistent doer of the Word. The half-brother of Jesus, James, makes it clear that being a doer of the Word includes control of the tongue. It seems that many were scrambling to be teachers. If so, they are to be held to a higher standard. Sins of the tongue are hard to overcome. The tongue is important because it verbalizes the content of the heart. The tongue is like a bucket in a well. It brings up what is down there. What do we spend a lot of our mind thinking about? What am I reading? What do I want? Some realistic self-examination is a must. How am I inclined to misuse my tongue? Do I tend to use untruth to get what I want? Wisdom says, “most lies are dedicated servants of self.” Lying spins a web by which the one who lies is caught. For example, a man comes home late from work, he tells his wife traffic held him up. But the truth is he spent time flirting with a female in the office. Then there is the time a teenager doesn’t tell his parents what time he really got home last night. “I resolve by God’s grace that I will be a truth-teller no matter what the cost.”
H
“The most untamable thing in the world has its den just back of your teeth.”