Scripture Reading: James 3:1-12, Psalm 12:1-8, Matthew 12:33-37
Twelve years ago, I served in a ministry teaching the Bible to marginalized youth—many of the kids hoarded food for the next meal, showed up without a jacket on a cold winter day, or wondered where they would sleep that night, but all seemed unaware of their need for a Savior. During those years, I met Gregory.
A strong-willed, charismatic, and creative boy, Gregory was labeled a troublemaker from day one. Week after week, words from parents, teachers, and friends cut him down until he no longer believed anything good about himself. God showed me that before Gregory could hear the truth of how his heavenly Father saw him, I had to faithfully show up for him.
Gregory taught me a sobering truth: Words can speak life—or death. That kind of power demands responsibility. Week after week with those kids, I practiced pausing and responding with patience and noticed the Spirit used my words to build up rather than tear down. In what often felt like heartbreak on repeat, God demonstrated the everyday power of the tongue.
James says that “with the tongue we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in God’s likeness” (James 3:9). Our words reveal how we see others. Do I see the person before me as made in the image of God, in need of the same grace I depend on?
The danger of words lies in their lasting power—they can affirm goodness or become lies that damage identity and relationships. Because of Jesus’s work on the cross, we can allow the Spirit to direct not only our words, but our whole lives, like a bit guiding a horse or a rudder steering a ship (vv.3–4). Still, our humanity tempts us to excuse the careless things we say. The psalmist warned that “what is worthless is exalted by the human race” (Psalm 12:8), and James added, “Blessing and cursing come out of the same mouth….these things should not be this way” (James 3:10). Only with the Spirit can we control the uncontrollable.
But this difficult, worthwhile struggle leads us toward wholeness. James wrote, “If anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is mature, able also to control the whole body” (v.2). This maturity points us toward our ultimate purpose—walking with the Spirit toward wholeness. Gregory didn’t need perfect words from me—he needed faithful presence, consistent truth, and words aligned with action. By the power of the Spirit, in time, life-giving words began to replace the lies. I witnessed Gregory transform, believing he was worthy of God’s love and blessing.
Jesus taught, “the mouth speaks from the overflow of the heart. A good person produces good things from his storeroom of good” (Matthew 12:34–35). Storing up good starts right here, meeting with Jesus, reading God’s word to know and love Him more.
Lord, fill us with Your goodness so our words might overflow life—for Gregory and for those You place before us today.
Written by Julie Dickerson
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6 thoughts on "Controlling the Tongue"
I saw the title of today’s devotional and I shut my tablet!!!!
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My tongue, OMG, has had me hauled up before the hierarchy before now! I was one of those that 1) did not engage brain before speaking. 2) Would say it like it was, sometimes a little too harshly. 3) If in retaliation, I was coming at you with both barrels…!
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Thank God for Jesus and the gift of the Holy Spirit, but most importantly, that I am learning to listen when convicted and to think before I open my mouth!
I give Glory and Praise for that!
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I was so reminded of my Cassie story,
Cassie came to King’s Table, a ministry that offered food, warmth, love, no questions asked. She came with attitude, big disrespectful attitude, that in the end I refused to serve her or have anything to do with her and in her earshot.
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BUT GOD..
He convicted me through the hospitality study here all those years ago that I should make an effort and Cassie came to mind. Great, I thought!
I prayed on it and all the way to work I kept telling God that he’d better be there when I make the effort…. Right!
I could see Cassie in the queue and I looked up and whispered” You’d better be here” ( oh me of little faith)
When she reached the counter I said with cheer, “Good morning” what i got back was a grunt! I looked up again and under my breathe I muttered ” see i told you she’s not going to change!
Ten minute later Cassie arrived at the counter asking for more food, but this time with words I’d never heard her use in the three, four months she had been coming. I was gobsmacked for her use of those words, but when she called me by name, as we say in England, you could have knocked me down with a feather!
She wanted more of the main course as she was not a pudding person, needless to say, I gave in.
There was a shift and a change for both of us, that day, me in particular, as I was supposed to be loving to my fellow people, but just struggled with disrespectful, feel entitled, rude, no manners type that Cassie owned!
The funniest thing is she classes me as her best friend these days!
Our tongues have the power to build up or tear down(Proverbs 18:21), and that day i truly swathes effects of positive words… Thank you Father God for your conviction that day..
We none of us choose a negative path, life happens, and we are changed in ways mainly to protect ourselves, as Julia Roberts says in Pretty woman, you always believe and remember the negative people say about you..
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BUT GOD..
His banner over us is love.
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The song His banner over me is love came to mind
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The Lord is mine and I am His
His banner over me is love..
This banner is over each and every one of us, waifs, strays, lost, broken, confused, misunderstood, alone, marginalised..
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His banner over ALL is love..
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Amen.
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Have a blessed Thursday my dears, covered in love, hugs and bountiful prayers..❤️
Sadly words can hurt more then physical ailments. a critical spirit wounds. hard to be around people like that.
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We will have to account for our words. Oh, my!
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Reminds me of a devotion I read years ago… about squeezing toothpaste from a tube. You can’t make the toothpaste go back in there. Just so ya know… (Insert winky face emoji.)
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Can’t sleep because hubby’s words got to me tonight. His words weren’t meant to be hurtful, but I took them that way. So, not only should we be careful with the words we speak but also how we “take” them, right?!?!
So true! And when I misinterpret and see how easily that’s done, it makes me overly cautious of my own words, at least for a while.
So true, Adrienne! When someone says something that hurts me I try to think about how that person feels about me. If it’s someone that I know cares about me I remind myself that they wouldn’t intentionally hurt me and then I move on. Isn’t it true that we hurt the ones we love the most? ❤️