The Tongue
Is this the most dangerous organ in your body?
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With [the tongue] we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse people made in God’s image. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. These things should not be so, my brothers and sisters.
James 3:9-10 (NET)
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Words are powerful.
Just think about how God created the heavens and the earth: He spoke it all into existence.
Or the fact that John 1 tells us that Jesus is the Word of God.
Or that when Jesus was fighting the temptation of the devil, both of them used words — specifically Scripture, i.e., God’s Word — as their weapons of choice.
If words are so powerful, then the tongue is also powerful.
James here warns us about the dangers of being forked-tongued. That we ought not to be people who bless God with one side of our mouths and curse people with another.
Oof!
This is hard.
Not because I have a problem with cursing people, I think James here is using an extreme example to bear out the point (though the extreme should also be avoided).
The real problem is the hypocritical lifestyle & double standards.
It’s easy to judge people by what they do and to judge myself by what I *intend* to do. That usually keeps me off the hook for my bad behavior because I meant to do better.
And, as the old saying goes: “the road to hell is paved with good intentions.”
Anyway, all that to say, be careful about how you use your words.
Because our tongues have the power to help or hinder.
To build up or destroy.
Blessing or cursing.
— Ricky Ketchum
Copyright © 2025 by Ricky Ketchum. All rights reserved. Unauthorized duplication prohibited.
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NET) are from the NET Bible® copyright ©1996, 2019 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://netbible.com All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are from the ESV®Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright© 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked (NKJV) are from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.