With a word the heart is encouraged and those cast down are lifted high. A gentle answer can turn away wrath and the tongue of the righteous is likened to choice silver. A little child afraid at night is quickly comforted by the familiar words of a parent. But the human tongue has other powers as well. It can take all of the beauty and intended purpose God has for its holy use and exchange it for utter misery and blasphemy. An uncontrolled tongue has the hellish ability to destroy or bring to ruin those who are in the path of its poisonous focus. Lies, rumor, gossip, half-truths, and scandalous chatter are distasteful tools employed only by humans. No other animal on the planet has ever or will ever experience this foul ability. When God's gift is coupled with man's freedom the result is not always as the Lord intends, because sin is able to compromise what is noble and make it common and vulgar.

James writes that "the tongue is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell." Though we have been able to tame all kinds of animals we often fail to bring under submission the little slip of flesh hidden behind our teeth. It quickly erupts into volcanic fury as we begin to deride another. We find that someone is different than we are, and we attack out of our ignorance and arrogance. In order to make others think we are something we are not, we eagerly repeat gossip or withhold a portion of truth so that others will not think too highly of our opponent. Sometimes we are so desperate that the result is an outright lie. "A man who lacks judgment derides his neighbor, and the mouth of the fool gushes folly."

God considers our manner of speech and the use of our tongue. He has commanded us to pray for one another, to protect and be patient with one another, to forgive one another, to trust one another, and above all, to love one another. We are to have the same mind or attitude that Christ had; to sacrificially humble ourselves and serve the needs of others. Take to heart what the Lord says in 1 John, "If anyone says, 'I love God, yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother." The love we have or do not have for one another will be made known by our speech.

The tongue speaks what is in the heart. Let us guard ourselves carefully that we not fall into Satan's trap and discount our faith and spirituality by using the gift of speech in a worldly and unworthy manner. What can so quickly destroy our witness and credibility? A careless word that disregards what Christ teaches. James adds that "If anyone considers himself religious (one who fears and worships God) and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless." How much is your faith worth?