How Can This Unruly Tongue Be Tamed?

For every kind of beasts, and of birds,

and of serpents, and of things in the sea,

is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind:

but the tongue can no man tame; it is an

unruly evil, full of deadly poison. Therewith

bless we God, even the Father; and therewith

curse we men, which are made after God.

Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing

and cursing. My brethren, these things ought

not so to be. Doth a fountain send forth at

the same place sweet water and bitter?

Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive

berries? Either a vines,figs? so can no

fountain both yield salt water and fresh.

James 3:7-12

     The mast savage beasts have come under control of man. Yes, the lion and others like him are wild and dangerous but as the documentary last night in regards to the Asiatic lions that live in the Gir forest in Gujarat, India and have grown to more than 500 lions. The people have come to rely on the lions to keep the grazing animals out of their fields and I even saw that they would be close to them without fear. Although they are dangerous men have tamed them to a point. The huge elephant is used by men to do work. Birds have even been tamed that reside in forest. Yet The tongue has been hard to tame. To tame the tongue man does not have the power to do so and can only be done by the grace of God working in lives.

     Sins may come and go with time, that is, in time sins lose their pleasure and vigor and even become tamed. Yet the tongue remains untamed and even becomes more passionate in its expressions. It does not matter how important, how persuasive, the laws made to tame the tongue, punishments for misuse of the tongue, all this evil cannot be stopped, it may be hindered but not stopped. the tongue must be watched, guarded, and governed as it is an unruly beast. The tongue can hurt, even divide Churches, or brothers and sisters. However, if we bless God who is our Father, our Savior, our intercessor, we will be taught to speak well, and if we are busy blessing God there is no room for the tongue to speak evil. 

     Depending upon the grace of God will give to us success in this matter of controlling the tongue. We need to fill our hearts with love for God, for Jesus Christ our Savior, for our brothers and sisters. We allow our conversation to be salted with grace and kindness and we conduct ourselves as Authentic Christians, not in name but in practice for our faith determines our actions. Will this be easy? NO! But with God all things are possible all we have to do is rely on God and grow in our relationship to Him. 

     Do not become a busybody, rather become a body that is busy, busy for the Lord, for the Gospel then you will speak, act and be an Authentic Christian with Authentic Christian Faith.

All this have I seen, and applied

     my heart unto every work

that is done under the sun: there

     is a time wherein one man ruleth

over another to his own hurt.

                   Ecclesiastes 8:9

Speak truthfully to your neighbor

Richard L. Crumb