James 3:3-4 reminds us that, “We put bits in horses’ mouths that they may obey us, and we turn their whole body. Look also at ships: although they are so large and are driven by fierce winds, they are turned by a very small rudder wherever the pilot desires.” When a husband speaks bitter words of complaint against their wire, it is like watching him slap her in the face. It only takes a few bitter words spoken in an average month to kill a marriage, a family, a workplace, or a church. James them makes a stunning acknowledgement about the tongue in James 3:9-10, “With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in teh similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so.” We need to take time to consider how we tend to speak about hurts and disappointments. As we retell a story, is our narrative laced with bitter words? Does listening to you talk sound like drinking a fresh glass of water, or something bitter? It only takes occasional bitterness to poison a a situation or relationship. James says in 3:14, “If you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth.” The flow of thought in this verse is powerful even when considered in isolation. Bitter speech is often part of a sinful amalgam of attributes that displease God. Take time to evaluate the words that you use. Make your words a refreshing breath of fresh air to those that you are listening. Remember this truth, “It is not what you say, that is important, it is how you say it!” Even truth spoken without a discerning mind, can be hurtful and crippling to those you speak to.
