James 3:1-2

"Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my [sisters], because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check."

Boy, I am glad that there is more in James about the tongue this week, because mine was certainly not tamed in the last two weeks. I still stumble and light fires with my tongue. I rejoice in God for the times where he caught me and spared me and others, but I pray he will change my heart that the unwise words would not even arise.

This charge to those who want to be teachers perks our ears up. I think most of us have held this position in some capacity already, whether it be as a Sunday school teacher, VBS helper, or some other position, and some of us want to pursue teaching as a career. I have a few young piano students right now. Words are so powerful. And they cannot be retracted once they have left our mouths. Lord, please help us to be slow to speak! quick to listen! Yikes. I even think of the fault of badly communicating. It is not good to confuse others or to let our words tumble out without organizing them. Children especially can become confused, since they do not have the filter that we do that has experienced many kinds of communication styles.

When I was in high school, I remember a time when I went through the psalms and pulled out all of the verses about the tongue, since I was especially struggling at the time. I have not done that in a while, but it really impressed on me how serious God is about wanting our tongues tamed and that it is wise to do this. I think I need to go back and do this again.

Proverbs 23:15 reads, "My [daughter], if your heart is wise, then my heart will be glad; my inmost being will rejoice when your lips speak what is right."

Change our hearts O God, and let our words be pleasing in your sight! Thank you that your Son spoke with perfect love for us.