Horrid Tongue

"Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water. Who is wise and understanding among you? by his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom." James 3:4-13

Oh, that horrid, horrid tongue. Very few of us have learned to control it completely. Words come out and hurt people when we did not mean to hurt. Sentences slide off our tongue like ice melting down a the side of glass. They come out so quickly and sharply, over and over and over we say words and more words. Yet, how many of these words actually glorify God fully? How many of those long sentences have offended or hurt people because of our carelessness? I hate my tongue, I wish I could stop it sometimes--or at least control it a little. Sometimes we say too little, sometimes we talk till our throats are sore, but either way, are we trying to keep every word pure and from God? I'm sure I'm not the only one who wishes their brain had a processing machine. I think a thought, it goes through the processor which decides if it's fit to say or not. But, lo! Not many of us have been gifted with such a thing. Words poor from out mouth without us thinking of them first, I believe I talk before I think even, I say things that my brain had not yet even thought the slightest bit about. Usually we know when we've said something we should not of. A sudden pang darts into our hearts the moments we say it. But my pride stops me from apologizing. Yes, my pride. When I should be saying "I'm so sorry," I sit there growing ever more guilty inside, but not being able to say it out loud.
Horrid, horrid, awful, tongue. How shall I ever tame it just a little? When will I know to shut my lips and keep silent or just listen to others? I never will be able to: "no human being can tame the tongue." No human, that means me, that means my Dad, my Mom, nobody can tame my tongue. Wait...lets look at the verse again: "no HUMAN BEING can tame the tongue." Human being, God is not a human being. He is perfect, and He is loving and helps us to grow and to change. HE can help me tame the retched tongue. If I give all my thoughts and words up to Him, He can help me. May we all surrender our tongues to Him, and only let that which edifies and builds up others come out of it.
...and lets work on that pride too...