According to the Bible verse James 3:8-10, "No one can tame the tongue – a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse those who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this ought not to be so."
Jesus stated, “What comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this is what defiles. For out of the heart come evil intentions, murder, adultery, fornication, theft, false witness, slander. These are what defile a person.”
It always amazes me how some people who faithfully attend worship and church functions, who firmly declare their Christian faith in the company of fellow Christians, who by their declaration say they willingly follow the teachings of Jesus Christ, seem to throw out their Christianity when it comes to matters of local and national politics; when there are perceived injustices; or when one feels slighted.
The teachings of Jesus Christ are meant to change completely our hearts and how we behave. It means stating our opinions without demeaning others. It means agreeing to disagree without condemnation. While it is perfectly normal and natural to disagree with someone, that disagreement does not give license to belittle, disparage, mock, or ridicule the other person. Quite frankly those are immature responses.
Yes, it is very difficult to tame the tongue. It can be done, but I wonder how many people even try any more. How many count to 10 before responding with a biting remark? How many are willing to think before letting fly a disparaging remark?
James hit the nail on the head: “With (the tongue) we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse those who are made in the likeness of God … My brothers and sisters, this ought not to be so” (emphasis added).
The words we use convey what is in our hearts — just as Jesus said. And this is what causes one to wonder about the hearts of those followers of Jesus who make disparaging, mocking, and ridiculing remarks. In my opinion, such spewing gives Jesus a bad reputation since his followers are supposed to represent him today.
Dear reader, please check your heart. Reflect on how you respond to opinions that are different than yours. Do you give honor to Jesus Christ?
The Rev. Mark Broadhead is pastor at Laurel Hill Presbyterian Church and First Presbyterian Church of Crestview.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: 'What comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart'