James 3:8 (KJV)
⁸ But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.

There are very few things in this world that are more powerful than words. A few well-chosen words can almost instantly cheer us up, improve our outlook, and brighten our day. At the same time, a few ill-advised and inconsiderate words can spoil our state of mind, destroy our disposition, and darken our day just as quickly. How carefully do you choose your words? Giving your tongue to God by using it properly will, not only save your soul, it will be beneficial to all with whom you keep company.

Proverbs 18:21
²¹ Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.

How many things can be said to have the power of death and life? Yet, such is the case with the tongue. Think of all the lives that can be ruined by our tongues. It can bring death or life to our spouse, children, parents, siblings, co-workers, etc. Obviously, this muscle in our mouth cannot literally kill or make alive, but it can bring profitable production or devastating destruction, depending on how we use it. The problem is we too often forget how powerful the tongue is because, after all, it is but a small member of our bodies. James reminds us that even though something is small, it can still boast of great things (James 3:3-4). We must always guard our tongues because it has destructive power (ver. 6), and it can never be tamed (vers. 7-8). And do not forget, we are going to give an account to God for the words that we speak.

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

When we speak carelessly, our words are usually hurtful. Hurtful words do not always come from a nefarious heart. In fact, most of the time when we hurt people with our words, it is simply because we use our tongues carelessly. What’s the solution? I know it sounds simple, but the truth is, we must train ourselves to think before we speak. I ran across the word think being used acronymically as follows:

True – We should always speak the truth.
Helpful – We should make sure that our words help people, not hurt them.
Inspiring – We should speak with a purpose, and that purpose should be edifying.
Necessary – We should avoid talking too much. Some things do not need to be said.
Kind – We should remember that kindness is a fruit of the Spirit.

To restrain the tongue, we must think before we talk. If we do not, our tongues will probably become instruments of destruction used by the devil to ruin souls, including our own. Give your tongue to God as a living sacrifice by avoiding things such as gossip, lying, sarcasm, back-biting, and rudeness. Instead, let us all use our tongues as instruments of righteousness. Remember, “Pleasant words are as a honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones” (Proverbs 16:24).

As you wind down for the night, think on these things.