Wait! My heart?

Photo by Belinda Fewings on Unsplash‍ ‍

I call myself a “blurter.” All my life I have worked on trying to remember to THINK before I speak. A friend said about herself, “I tend to get outspoken in groups.” I resemble that remark.

In a Bible study group I am in, we are studying James. At our last session, we read from James 3:

With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water. (James 3:9-12)

I am sure I have read these verses before, and I have certainly tried to remember them and other verses that remind us to tame our tongues. In this reading, I was struck by the list of sources that James gave: a spring, a fig tree, a grapevine, and a salt spring. What is the source of the words that flow from my mouth? The answer is my heart, I suddenly realized. It gave me a little jolt. Yes, I know my tongue is a problem; yes, I remind myself to wait and think before saying anything; yes, I even had a written reminder on the notebook I brought into meetings at work. I know: I have a problem with saying things I later regret. I challenge myself to tame my tongue. But my heart?

My first thought was, “I have a good heart!” I try to be kind, loving, and to reflect God’s love. No one is perfect, but basically, I have a good heart. Right? But out of that “good heart” sometimes come mean, unkind, thoughtless words. “This should not be.”

This was a good realization: my prayer needs to go beyond taming my tongue—a little problem I need to work on. I will pray that my tongue will be tamed by a heart full of love, kindness, and the Holy Spirit. That the source of my words will be sweet and pleasing to the Lord.