No one can tame the tongue

This Sunday's reading from James 3:1-12 contains wise advice for all of us from politicians to bishops, to priests, and to lowly pewsitters.

"Not many of you should become teachers, my brethren, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. For all of us make many mistakes. Anyone who makes no mistakes in speaking is perfect, able to keep the whole body in check with a bridle. If we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we guide their whole bodies. Or look at ships: though they are so large that it takes strong winds to drive them, yet they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great exploits."

"How great a forest is set ablaze by a small fire! And the tongue is a fire. The tongue is placed among our members as a world of iniquity; it stains the whole body, sets on fire the cycle of nature, and is itself set on fire by hell. For every species of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by the human species, but 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 brethren, this ought not to be so. Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and brackish water? Can a fig tree, my brethren, yield olives, or a grapevine figs? No more can salt water yield fresh."

I come from a long line of people who have trouble taming their tongues. Most of our problems came from saying what we think before we thought things through causing offence to those around us. 

While no one can tame the tongue, I know that when I was younger, I had a habit of using expletives when I messed up, especially in sports just like my Dad, but when I accepted Jesus as Lord and prayed that he take this sin away, He did! 

Now, this didn't seem to work with many of my other faults... yet.