Every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it in the day of judgment.
–Matthew 12:36
James 3:8 says, “No one can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil and full of deadly poison.” Some people misapply that verse and decide there’s no point in trying to control their speech. No, James was simply reminding us that it’s hard to handle our speech–we will wrestle with it until the day we die. Yet as difficult as it is, James 1:26 says if we don’t bridle our tongues, then our religion is worthless. So how do we go about controlling our speech? Practical principles for taming the tongue.
Number one: realize that you are accountable for your words. Did you know that one day you and I will give an account for every word we have ever spoken? Does that strike terror in your heart as it does mine? In Matthew 12:36, Jesus said, “Every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it in the day of judgment.” Somehow God is going to retrieve all the words we’ve said, and we are going to be judged by those words. That realization is a strong motivation to control what we say.
Number two: memorize and meditate on Scripture concerning your speech. If you have difficulty controlling your speech, I encourage you to commit these verses to memory. Just thinking about them will be a great encouragement to you.
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“The one who guards his mouth preserves his life; the one who opens wide his lips comes to ruin” (Proverbs 13:3).
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“Do you see a man who is hasty in his words? There is more hope for a fool than for him” (Proverbs 29:20).
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“Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear” (Ephesians 4:29).
Number three: refuse to give a bad report about anyone you have not personally confronted. In Matthew 18:15, Jesus said, “If your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother.” If you’re really concerned about a fellow Christian, don’t talk to your prayer group or anybody else about it; instead, confront that person privately with the hope of redemption. Make a commitment today not to say anything negative about somebody you have not personally talked to.
