By Pastor Stuart Weist
First Baptist Church of Preston
Have you ever heard someone tell you to “watch your mouth”? Well, I have because unfortunately, in my youth, my tongue would often get me in trouble. Those little backhanded comments to parents, speaking ill of bosses or coworkers, or simply venting my anger though vile language, I have been guilty of it all and once it takes root it’s almost impossible to break the habit. However, fear not for there is always hope in God’s Word.
The Bible has quite a bit to say about guarding our speech as Matthew 2:34 tells us, “Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” It’s true that our hearts are sinful, selfishly driven, and vile to the core. It’s one of the reasons following your heart is the worst advice you can give someone but that’s a topic for another article. When we are angry, frustrated, or simply worn out, we often say things that we don’t mean. Worse yet, when we find ourselves in this state, we use foul and vile language to describe our emotions. However, Christ both teaches and provides a better way.
If we take a step back from our frustrations or our inability to express ourselves kindly, we can indeed guard our speech. The Book of James speaks comprehensively on this topic. James 3:1-12 deals almost exclusively with the danger of an unbridled speech. For instance, in James 3:9-10, James challenges us to question how with the same mouth we can praise God and curse our fellow man. We often forget that all people, regardless of their background are image bearers of the Lord and using our uncontrolled tongue to discourage or despise them is sin. James uses the illustration that a spring cannot give both fresh and salt water. Likewise, it ought not be that we both bless and curse with our same mouth.
James teaches that the tongue is an incredible evil which is hard to tame. So, what is a Christian to do? Breathe, the next time your frustrated and at your wits end pause and ask yourself, “If God were listening to what I am about to say, would he be pleased?” If not, then stop, that’s right, STOP. We would do well to simply not say something at all or to rephrase what we will say in a way that is less accusatory. We would do well to just slow down and ask, “Do I really need to make this post,” or “Should I really speak this way to others?”
As I have gotten older, I have seen an ever-declining use of language and inability to converse without using a four letter words even in books. It’s a disturbing trend that seeks not to show love, hope, or grace but ignorance which reveals the sinfulness of our hearts. So may I challenge you this week to