We are all murderers!
Yep, if you have a tongue, you have murdered. If you disagree, then you are a liar. James 3:2 states, “WE ALL stumble in many ways. Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect, able to keep their whole body in check.” A.K.A. no one is perfect!
I fall short often and I know I have used my tongue to “kill!” Thank goodness that because of God’s mercy and grace I have been forgiven. There is a difference between worldly sorrow and Godly sorrow. Worldly sorrow often means being sorry and even apologizing but thoughtless repetition occurs in our lives. Godly sorrow, on the other hand, means being sorry, asking forgiveness, repenting and putting in the work. Being intentional in seeking God’s help to work on self-control (a fruit of the spirit) in an area.
In the case of our tongue…this takes overtime work on my part. Why? Well, Scripture is clear in James 3:8, “But no human can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.” WE need God’s help to keep our tongue from killing. We also learn in James 3 that the tongue “corrupts the whole body, it sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.”
Who wants their whole body to be corrupt? Even more, who wants to be a “murderer?”
Encouragement for the day–two Scriptures to help anyone tame the tongue: Proverbs 17:28, “Even fools are thought wise if they keep silent, and discerning if they hold their tongues.” And Proverbs 10:19, “When words are many, sin is not absent, but the prudent hold their tongue.” #speaklifenotdeath