Imagine for a moment, that you were to wake up tomorrow morning only to find that the smell of your breath was determined by the condition of our heart. If your heart was full of love, compassion and forgiveness, you would exhale minty fresh breath. However, if your heart was full of hate, bitterness and unforgiveness, every time you took a breath, you would exhale vile dragon-breath.
What comes out of your mouth, first found its home in your heart.
Jesus put it this way:
43 “For no good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit, 44 for each tree is known by its own fruit. For figs are not gathered from thornbushes, nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush. 45 The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks. – Luke 6:43-45
Taming the Tongue
James, (the brother of Jesus), wrote the following:
3 If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. 4 Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. 5 So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things.
How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! 6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. 7 For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, 8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. 10 From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. 11 Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? 12 Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water. – James 3:3-12
At first glance, you might think that there is no hope. You are left thinking that there is no possible way that you can tame your tongue, and you are right. That is precisely the point that James is trying to make. You can not tame your tongue, . . . but God can.
Note the words he chose to use:
7 For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, 8 but no human being can tame the tongue.
It was not by mistake that James used the words, “mankind” and “human being”. His intention was clear, he was exposing man’s complete inability to tame his own tongue. How can we determine what comes out of our mouth? By ensuring that which is in our heart is good. How then, do we ensure that what is in our heart is good?
What Seed Will You Allow to Impregnate Your Mind?
You see, a seed will impregnate the mind, the heart cultivates the seed where it grows, and when it comes into full bloom, the mouth gives birth. The question then becomes, how can we determine what seed impregnates the mind?
Paul wrote, “whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things” (Philippians 4:8). Why did Paul write this? Because he knew that the you could be “transformed by the renewal of your mind” (Romans 12:2).
When you focus on Jesus, your words will produce life. Focus on Him. He is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, excellent and worthy of praise.