Tame Those Tongues

We're studying and discussing the book of James in our Monday night Bible study. Last week we had a particularly good discussion on taming our tongues. Here's the context:

James 3:1-12 - Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. 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. If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. 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! And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water.

I decided to make a list of how we misuse the tongue, most of which we talked about on Monday. If any of these (or possibly all of them) are in your life, I urge you to consider taming your tongue. I can admit that I need a lot of work still in this area.

1.) cursing
2.) complaining
3.) big lies
4.) small lies
5.) exaggerations
6.) sarcasm
7.) nonconstructive criticism
8.) gossip
9.) slander
10.) name calling
11.) taking the Lord's name in vain
12.) long-winded prayers
13.) talking about self too much
14.) put downs
15.) verbal judging
16.) boasting
17.) unkind words
18.) inappropriate joking
19.) cursing substitutes
20.) threatening others
21.) useless shouting
22.) prideful arguing
23.) flattery
24.) defensive justifying
25.) making excuses

One might say, well everybody has problems with some of those...it's not that big of deal. Well, to you -- read the passage of James again. You think he thinks it's no big deal? You think God thinks it's no big deal? You think the person you hurt with your words thinks it's no big deal? James says that no human being can tame the tongue, so perhaps we should all ask God for some help.