You’ve seen the commercial that asks, “What’s in your wallet?” that leads us all to believe that only that specific credit card will fulfill all our needs and bring happiness and prosperity to our lives. There’s so much wrong with that thinking that I won’t even go there! But it reminded me of a conversation I had recently.

My friends and I were discussing the power of the tongue. James warns us that such a little member of the body holds the power of life and death – that it is full of ‘deadly poison’. With it we praise God, then curse people – whom He made in His image. He also warns us that praises and curses coming from the same mouth just shouldn’t be!

Probably for most of us struggling with our tongues isn’t a new concept – but our conversation went beyond restraining the spark that can grow to a wildfire. We have to get to ‘the heart of the matter’. In Mt. 12:34 Jesus tells us that. “For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.”

What comes out of our mouths – what our tongues speak – is exactly what is in our hearts and minds.

So, what’s overflowing out of your heart? Fear, insecurity, resentment, bitterness, unforgiveness – any of these things can cause us to speak what James calls ‘evil’ – negative speech, criticism, cursing, lies, off-color jokes and innuendos.

Our conclusion was that it takes discipline to tame the tongue – a discipline of looking at what’s in our hearts and recognizing the root of our problem. In order to speak life and not destruction we must do what Phil 4:8,9 tells us -to think on whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable – whatever is excellent or praiseworthy.

In other words, if I find myself being critical of others, I need to check my heart attitude and see what’s lingering there. Once I recognize and confess the root issue, I have to discipline myself to speak what’s right and admirable instead of criticizing. It’s a re-training – first of the heart and mind and then of the tongue.

Struggling with your tongue? Join me each day and say with the psalmist:

“Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart. Be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my strength and my Redeemer.” Ps 19:14

All for Him,

Missy