The Divided Tongue

James 3:9–10
With [our tongue] 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.

On Sunday, I used the example of someone stopping mid-sentence with, “I can’t say that in church.” Which begs the question: Should you say it outside of church? If so, how far away from the church do you need to be for it to be acceptable?

James’ point is hard to miss: How can you praise God and slander His people with the same mouth? How can you oscillate so easily between the highest form of speech and the lowest? James is not just confronting inconsistent speech; he is confronting a divided heart.

To make this practical, imagine if your speech were evaluated as closely as the media you consume. On the Internet Movie Database (IMDB), every show and movie includes a content section. Under the “Language” category, it lists how many profanity uses, insults, or derogatory remarks appear. Imagine receiving a similar breakdown for your words yesterday. Would you be proud of what appeared under the “Language” category of your life?

I do not want us to pass by this thought too quickly. What words do you regret saying? What comments were unnecessary or unhelpful? Would you be willing to turn your language content in to me?

I don’t want us simply to think negatively, though. What good use of language did you have? Were there moments of praise or prayer? Did you encourage or enlighten someone with your words?

I urge you now to think back over a few conversations from yesterday. What are you proud of? What needs to be confessed or corrected? What opportunities were missed?

Pray this verse:
Ephesians 5:4 – Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving.