If anyone among you thinks himself to be religious while he doesn’t bridle his tongue, but deceives his heart, this man’s religion is worthless. James 1:26 WEB

The Holy Spirit gives comfort. The word of God provides direction. As flawed men, our hearts and heads are sometimes unreliable. We are prone to reacting out of fear or losing control in search of pleasure. However, as devotees to Christ we are informed in 2 Timothy 1:7, “For God didn’t give us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control. WEB” And so, when it comes to what we say and do, it is important to base our words as well as our actions on the word of God.

In the scripture we are considering today, to be religious, we are encouraged to “bridle” our tongues. Religious, in this context, indicates genuine devotion to God but what is a bridle? A bridle is the headgear that helps to direct a horse, leather straps about its head and a bit in its mouth. Therefore, to bridle the tongue means to have it under control.

Treasures of The Heart

Jesus says in Luke 6:45, “The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings out that which is good, and the evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings out that which is evil, for out of the abundance of the heart, his mouth speaks. WEB” In another example, Christ demonstrates the power of the tongue cursing the fig tree. Our words have power and, to be religious, should be carefully considered to align with the will of God.

If we struggle to control the words that come out of our mouths, then we have not yet submitted to the will of God. Proverbs 18:21 tells us, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue; those who love it will eat its fruit. WEB” It is possible to deceive ourselves into believing that we are following God but still be far from the path that leads to life. If we react with an out-of-control tongue, for pleasure or due to fear, we are not demonstrating proper devotion to God and should repent.

Yesterday’s Devotional: God and Mammon