Taming the Tongue: Proceed With Caution

The childhood phrase "sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me" is one of the biggest lies that we learn growing up. Words have the potential to hurt far more than any physical pain we can experience. The pain that comes from words can leave scars much deeper than any flesh wound.

As a coach, I need to constantly be aware of the words that I use with my athletes. A single word has the ability to empower and lift up and individual. However, the same word has the ability to destroy someone. The way it is communicated makes all of the difference. The tongue can be an extremely dangerous weapon.

In the Book of James, God warns us about the destructive power of our tongue. Its power is disproportionate to its size, much like a bullet or a match. It can become a deadly weapon if we do not tame it. A match may seem very small and insignificant, but it has the power to start a fire that burns thousands and thousands of acres. The tongue, says James, is much more powerful than a match.

The planned talks are not usually the ones that cause destruction. It is the unplanned action of our tongues that cause pain. James simply wrote this so we would mind our tongues, or watch what we say.

Your tongue reveals what's in your heart. James 3:8 states, "but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison."

If no human being can control the tongue than why bother trying? Even if we may not achieve perfect control of our tongues, we can still learn enough control to reduce the damage our words can do. It is better to fight a fire than to go around setting new ones. Man might not be able to tame the tongue, but God can.

So, be careful and focus on God. Focusing on God means we will be less apt to discharge or say something the we wish we never would've said.

"Set a guard over my mouth, O Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips" Psalm 141:3.