James 3:1-12 New International Version (NIV)
Taming the Tongue Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. 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.
When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.
All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.
With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.
Today I heard this...do you want to know where someones heart lies? Go with them to the emergency room. They will be cursing or praying...I think it's true too. Where is your tongue when life hits the fan??? Do you curse first or go to God? I struggle with taming my tongue but not in the way this verse talks about I have some gossip issues. My Grandma had a poem written in her Bible, "Lord, today keep one hand on my shoulder and the other over my mouth" You can't unsay something and people have struggled with it for all time. So my prayer for all today is that God is the first thing to come to your mind and go out your mouth...If someone were to judge you by how you react to conflict how would your fare?