Key Scripture: Psalms 15.3, Psalm 39:1, James 1:26

Psalms 15.3 Lord, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? Who shall dwell in thy holy hill? ...He that backbiteth not with his tongue...

Psalm 39:1 I said, I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue:

James 1:26 If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain.

Relevance

Imagine for a minute a world without gossip. Truth would reign. People would have your back, and not to put a knife in it. Think how peaceful and productive a workplace would be without rumours, schools without bitch sessions and text wars, families enjoying each other because there is no hearsay. 

Once gossip leaves the building, peace takes its place. Think about the quality of the conversations, and the absence of judging whether the gossip is true or false, and what one does with it then. All that foolish energy would be reserved for something more wonderful, with greater mental and emotional depth. 

Why are tongues so thirsty for evil? It's as if they are addicts with minds of their own. Gossipping tongues don't wait for green lights; they sprint across the conversational road to be the first to blurt it out, whatever the tale is. 

Half the problem is the listening ear. The gossip monger is the seller, and the listening ear is the buyer. Neither is right with God. 

God put enough verses in His Bible to follow, such as:

• Proverbs 21:23 Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles.

• Proverbs 25:9-10 Debate thy cause with thy neighbour himself; and discover not a secret to another:  Lest he that heareth it put thee to shame, and thine infamy turn not away.

• Isaiah 50:4 The Lord GOD hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary:

So why don't people follow through and put an end to their rumour-mongering? What power does the tongue have over them? What power does it have over us, and how serious is it? 

Taking James 1.26 seriously, if our tongue isn't bridled, our 'religion' as James puts it, is in vain. It seems as if all that time and devotion to Christ is in vain and worthless. Is that how you read it?

For the time we didn't bridle our tongue and train it to obey the scripture, we have been telling ourselves a lie about our righteousness, which has now turned into self-righteousness. In addition, a reputation generally follows us when we are loose-lipped. We don't need that, just for the excitement of spreading a rumour. God doesn't care if the message is true or not; many things are better left unsaid. 

As I mentioned at the beginning, imagine how marvellous a world without gossip would be. Well, let's be the people who start it. Let's control our own tongues and encourage others to put out the fires of loose talk and pour more love into relationships. That's what we're called to do. God will love us for it, as it fits with His Word.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, in one short sentence of bridling our tongues, James says it all. With a bridle, it sets no worlds on fire; it maintains relationships and is integral to building unity. Help us all to follow that path for Your glory. Thank you for providing these scriptures of wisdom for us.

Photo by Ben White