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All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind,\xa0but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God\u2019s likeness.\xa0Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. (James 3:7-10).

The Bible is filled with instruction on the use of our words. \xa0The words we speak hold great power.\xa0 Power to loose or to bind (Matt 16:19), the power to profess or to profane (James 3:9-10,), the power of life and death (Prov 18:21). David cries out, \u201cSet a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips!\u201d (Ps 141:3).\xa0 He understood the power of the spoken word and the difficulty involved in taming the tongue.

Although we are able to tame wild animals, we cannot ever tame our tongue.\xa0 But! The tongue can be brought under the power and the control of the Holy Spirit if we submit our words to Him.\xa0 A woman once came to John Wesley and said that she knew what her talent was.\xa0 \u201cI think that my talent from God is to speak my mind\u201d she told him.\xa0 Wesley replied, \u201cI don\u2019t think God would mind if you buried that talent.\u201d\xa0 \xa0God doesn\u2019t want us to simply speak whatever passes through our mind.\xa0 Such talk is \u201ca restless evil, full of deadly poison.\u201d\xa0 God wants us to submit our speech to Him in order that we would bless and not curse, lift up and not tear down.

When I was a child there was a saying that was often used on the schoolyard. \u201cSticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me!\u201d Although I have been surrounded by neighbourhood children for the last decade I have not once heard that saying uttered.\xa0 And that is good. There is a deep untruth to those words.\xa0 The hope of an encouraging word or the wound left by a hurtful word are both very real and can penetrate our heart deeper than many a physical injury.\xa0

What words do you use when you speak to a friend, or a family member?\xa0 How about when you are speaking to or about a person or group that you don\u2019t agree with, who has wronged you or someone else or who rubs you the wrong way?\xa0 How do you speak to those of a different faith, a different denomination or who are questioning or even outright opposing Jesus?\xa0 Do you treat all people as image bearers of God with the words you speak?

Jesus says, \u201cA good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks\u201d (Luke 6:45).\xa0 Paul too understood this mystery, \u201cDo not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths,\xa0but only what is helpful for building others up\xa0according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen\u201d (Eph 4:29).

Today, listen to the words you speak to others and how you speak about others.\xa0 Do you catch yourself saying hopeful, helpful, encouraging and loving words?\xa0 Do you speak accusing, blaming, bitter or condemning words?\xa0 Maybe your point of view is the \u201cright\u201d one, but maybe being right is not the point of our speech.\xa0 Maybe we should listen to James, to David, to Jesus, to Paul.\xa0 Our words come from what is deep within us, with the power to hurt or to heal, to praise or to curse.\xa0 How will you choose to use your words today?