The Wise Tame the Tongue

Which direction are you facing? What are you moving toward? Posed at Friday's MTI Seminar, these two questions offer a great calibration as we desire to face Jesus and move towards Christlikeness. The book of James describes what facing Jesus results in!

As James continues to describe what it looks like to walk with wisdom, after emphasizing how faith without works is dead, he directs our attention to the power of the tongue. Our faith is expressed in what we say! Though such a small part of the body, the tongue holds incredible potential to hurt or empower. Created in the image of a God who shaped the universe with His spoken word, as image-bearers we reflect God's shaping power with our words. While we don't speak things into existence, words carry great influence in shaping the environments and other image-bearers we interact with.

A sign of maturity in Christ, our words reveal what is within us. When speaking to other people (or about other people), we are careful to not use the same mouth we bless God with, to diminish others. Christ-followers, given the ministry of reconciliation, use their words to build and speak life. There's a common acronym which applies to what we say (with our mouths or with our fingers in what we type.) This provides five helpful filters to consider before we let our words fly; THINK before you speak. We can ask ourselves if what we're about to say; Is it True? (Eph. 4:25) Is it Helpful? (1 Thess. 5:11*), Is it Inspiring? (Hebrews 10:24-25), Is it Necessary (James 1:19, Matt. 12:36), Is it Kind? (Eph. 4:32). We rely on the Holy Spirit's help to guide and discern the things we say.

This week, pay attention to your words. Seek to share the love, grace, mercy that has been offered to you!

* This one is different from the reference used in the service.