Taming of the Tongue

Psalm 15

If you’ve ever played trivia on a team, you know that part of the fun is naming your team. When you get a bunch of seminary students and pastors on a team, the names are usually funny only to other seminary students and pastors. I played on a team in seminary called “John and the Synoptics.” Later I played on a team of other pastors (and their spouses) called “Christ-al Methodists.” Another team with whom I briefly played was called “Taming of the Tongue,” taken from James 3:8, which reads, “...but no one can tame the tongue—a restless evil, full of deadly poison.” 

James was not the first biblical writer to recognize the power of the tongue to be destructive. In today’s psalm, the writer reflects on who may enter the temple of God. The psalmist essentially says that those who reflect the characteristics of God are welcome. Those who practice true religion are welcome. He then goes on to talk about what that true religion looks like, including the power of the tongue to keep us from reflecting God. Specifically, the psalmist warns against slandering with the tongue. In other words, those who lie, use deception, make accusations, and spread rumors about others are not reflecting the characteristics of God, who speaks truth from the heart.

How tamed is your tongue? You may say, “I don’t lie. I don’t deceive others.” Have you gossiped recently? Have you said something about someone else that was meant to tear them down instead of build them up? Our tongues are powerful. They can be used as a weapon. They can destroy lives, churches, and communities. But they can also be used to build others up. Even if we aren’t lying or using deceit, how often do we share something about someone that isn’t meant for their well-being? Something may be true but if it is used to hurt someone else, then our actions do not reflect the heart of God.

Prayer
Lord, tame my tongue. Help me recognize its power to edify others or tear others down. Help me to use it for good instead of hurt. May all the words that come forth from my mouth be true and helpful. Amen.

Rev. Dana Ezell