All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are tamed and have been tamed by man, but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.  James 3:7-8

“A restless evil, full of deadly poison”—sounds like a poisonous snake, doesn’t it? Snakes are ruthless, wild and deadly, just like cruel and bitter words. And both can sneak up out of nowhere, attack and leave victims scared, hurt and confused.  If the truth were known, a lot of people act just like that: verbal vipers. They specialize in gossip and secrets and slander. Instead of listening to others as they speak, these verbal vipers are only building their verbal arsenal, preparing to strike. We can all have a tendency to act this way. It’s part of our human nature to exhibit our selfishness through harmful, untamed words.  But there is hope—if we surrender our words and our tongues to God. Although we can’t tame our tongues on our own, he can. So when you feel the tension rising and you catch yourself coiling up, preparing to attack—stop and call in reinforcements! Ask God to take control of the situation, and he will do a mighty work in your life as he begins taming your tongue. 

Dear God, When I feel the temptation to sting others with my words, help me to call on you to help tame my tongue so that I won’t become a hazard to those around me. Also help me as I deal with the verbal vipers in my life, and allow me to be used to bring them closer to you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.