If anyone thinks himself to be religious, yet does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this person’s religion is worthless. James 1:26
When was the last time you said something you didn’t mean? Sometimes words slip out quickly that we wish we could take back. Our words can do great harm to others, leaving wounds we never intended. We know this because hurtful words of others often stick with us. They echo in our minds long after they are spoken. Since words have so much power, James reminds us they are to be formed by Christ. If we say we praise God but have not learned how to hold our tongues, we are not reflecting Him. We fool ourselves to say we are followers of Christ if we do not follow Him in the way we speak.
Even if we feel we are justified to speak sharply, James warned us to control our tongues as a means of showing faith in God. Since God has given us such a precious gift of language with the potential to point others to Him, then each word is an opportunity to reflect Him to others. Christ becomes the filter of our speech; He becomes the guide to the bridle on our tongues. His teaching, His love, and His example show us the way to treat others even when we disagree with them. As we prioritize relationship with Christ, we allow Him to form our words and change our speech from what we want, to what will glorify Him.
- When have your words not reflected Christ? What happened? Why did you speak that way?
- What does it look like to reflect Christ in the things you say? Who has been an example of that for you? What needs to change for you?
- Pray and ask God to guide your words to reflect Him. Ask Him to give you self-control when you feel tempted to speak your own way.
