“Whoever guards his mouth and tongue keeps his soul from troubles” (Proverbs 21:23).
The easiest way for a person to sin is with the tongue. The restraining laws in our society prevent us from doing just anything we want, but it sure seems as if we can say just about anything we want in the name of “freedom of speech.” Because of his fallen, depraved heart, man is prone to spew forth all manner of blasphemy and putrid language from his mouth, which produces a myriad of troubles for his soul. And how we use our tongue is simply an expression of our heart. The tongue truly is the dipstick of the heart. Our heart is a storehouse and our words reveal what is stored in our heart.
The Apostle Paul described man’s tongue in Romans 3:13-14 with these words: “Their throat is an open tomb; with their tongues they have practiced deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips; whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness.” Even those redeemed by Christ struggle to reign in their vicious tongue. How many wars have been started because of a prideful, arrogant tongue? How many couples have divorced because of a lying tongue? How many friends have been separated because of a gossiping tongue? How many times a day is God’s name, or the name of the glorious Redeemer, Jesus Christ, used in vain, in jest, or blasphemed?
Before you speak, remember the words of Christ, “But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the Day of Judgment” (Matt. 12:36). As those who are redeemed by Christ, let us daily practice restraining our tongue, the “little member of our body that boasts great things” (James 3:5). We do this by constantly and conscientiously speaking true, kind, edifying, and loving words, which honor God, and by keeping our mouth shut when it is not necessary to repeat a matter.
Too many matters are repeated that would better be left untold since they bring no edification to the hearer. “Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt…” (Col. 4:6). Only by guarding our tongue will we keep our soul from unnecessary troubles. “Who is the man who desires life, and loves many days, that he may see good? Keep your tongue from evil, and your lips from speaking deceit” (Psalm 34:11-12).