2 John 1:8 (ESV)
⁸ Watch yourselves, so that you may not lose what we have worked for, but may win a full reward.

Watching our words might be the most difficult part of our lives to contemplate. James said, “For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body” (James 3:2).

Are you up to the challenge of controlling your tongue? To do so you must constantly keep watch. Listen to James again:

James 3:7-8 (ESV)
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…

James was not making an excuse for people misusing the tongue. I can hear someone say, based on what James wrote, “It is not my fault that I misuse my tongue. After all, according to the Bible, the tongue can’t be tamed.” That was not the point of James’ statement. He was simply warning us to always be on guard. A wild animal can be kept under control, even before it is tamed, as long as proper measures are taken. So it is with the tongue. We can control our tongues, even though we cannot completely tame them. It is just a matter of taking the proper measures. The first one is understanding the importance of being watchful.

When we realize how dangerous the tongue can be, and the power it has to discourage, depress, and even destroy, we are more likely to be careful about how we speak to others. To be careful or watchful of our speech, we must train ourselves to think before we talk. Neglecting to do this might be the biggest cause of misusing the tongue. It is true that sometimes people purposely engage in verbal abuse. They aim to hurt someone with their words. Most of the time, however, people do damage with their tongue by speaking without carefully considering what they are about to say. Again, I turn your attention to the words of James.

James 1:19 (ESV)
¹⁹ Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger;

This does not come from the chapter where James is writing specifically about the tongue, but his words are still helpful. There would be fewer problems with the tongue if we would all learn to be “quick to hear, and slow to speak.” Developing the skill, or maybe I should say the willingness, to listen will go a long way in helping us to avoid over talking, as well as, not thinking before we speak.

Another thing that might help us to keep watch of the words that we speak, is remembering that the misuse of the tongue can be a capital offense spiritually. Corrupt communications can lead to the damnation of our souls. As you wind down tonight, remember the words of Jesus.

Matthew 12:36 (ESV)
³⁶ I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak,

As you wind down for the night, think about these things