Bridle the Tongue

James 1:19-20

Know this beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger, for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.

 

James teaches this as an absolute truth! There is no gray area where a believer can hedge the line. If I want God's righteousness in my life, I need to listen without merely waiting my turn to throw out my opinion, speak only after consideration, or much better, after prayer, and be slow to anger. James goes on to say, therefore, put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word which is able to save your souls. Put it away! Take it out of our sight and our access, and in its place allow the word to have full sway. Let it be implanted in us with meekness. Receiving with meekness...What a thought! That means without resisting or without any reservations. Instead I need to receive it willingly and with eagerness much like a life raft to a drowning man. Will this be easy? No, filthiness and rampant wickedness, no matter how repulsive they sound, are in sync with our flesh. They have so many gray areas that it is hard to tell when we have left the safety of God's word and have slid into the darkness of sin. Often Satan paints this life style in glowing terms, terms that are easy and promise great return. God's way is hard especially if done in the flesh.Maybe that is the problem, we try and do these things in our flesh and are constantly failing. It goes against our pride to ask God for the grace to obey His commands. In essence, it is saying that I can do nothing, not even simply listening without the grace of God. But Satan says bring your flesh. You can do all that I offer you!

 

So for all these reasons, I must be a doer of the word and not only a hearer. The word must be my mirror revealing to me what I am truly doing and how I truly am! No deception! No lying to myself! I am promised that if I look in the Word and remember what it shows me, I will be blessed! I would be so self-deceived if I thought I could circumvent bridling my tongue and still be righteous. God doesn't work that way. It's His way and His way alone. He teaches me the way and gives me the grace and strength to obey and embrace His way, and then blesses me when I do. It seems to be a win/win situation! So why do I fail so often? How weak is my flesh!

 

Father,

Reveal to me when my tongue is unbridled, when I am not relying on Your grace and strength. Help me to dethrone pride each and every day so that You might reign supreme.

In His name,

Amen