But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceed blessing
and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so.
James 3:8–10 NKJV
There is a problem with the speech of this generation. It can be crude, unloving, and terribly profane. Yet it can also be affirming, positive, and churchy. And many people see nothing wrong with this dichotomy.
But God’s Word says that there is something really awry with this kind of person. James compares speech to the fruit hanging on trees and water coming from specific sources. Everyone is fully aware that figs grow on fig trees, not olives, and that salt water cannot come from a fresh spring. Yet today, we don’t blink our eyes when a Christian uses a bad word here and there. We make excuses on the grounds that “she was really upset” or “everyone slips once in a while.” But what is really alarming is that our mouths reveal what is in our hearts. In Luke 6:45 (NKJV), Jesus said, “Out of the abundance of the heart [the] mouth speaks.”
So is it really okay to use bad language once in a while? Only if it is okay to harbor evil in your heart once in a while! God wants to cleanse and renew our hearts so that our speech will reflect the good treasure that is inside us.
Lord, search my heart and cleanse me of any evil You find there. Renew my speech so that I may use my words to edify others and glorify You. In Jesus’ name, amen.
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Today’s reading was adapted from Daily Wisdom for Women: 2017 Devotional Collection with permission from Barbour Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. Reading was written by Valorie Quesenberry.