October 15, 2025 | Be God's Family
Full of Deadly Poison
Scripture: James 3:7-12(NIV)
7 All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, 8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.
9 With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. 10 Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. 11 Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? 12 My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.
Devotional
One of my favorite bits of dialog in the movie “Cleopatra” was spoken by Richard Burton, who played the role of Marc Antony:
"Your tongue is old, but sharp, Cicero. Be careful how you waggle it. One day it will cut off your head."
How many careers end with one ill-advised comment? Jimmy “the Greek” Snyder, a Las Vegas oddsmaker who appeared on NFL pregame shows, sports broadcaster Howard Cosell, Los Angeles Dodgers General Manager Al Campanis, all had long and illustrious careers suddenly end for making a racially insensitive comment. The irony for Cosell and Campanis is that they had always been in the forefront of promoting African American players. Today, with the rise of social media and ubiquitous cell phones recording everything, we know it as “cancel culture.”
Say the wrong thing, and you’re gone. That’s why I am cautious about anything I post on social media or send in an email. Before hitting that “send” button, I ask “Would I want my mom to read this? Would I want a jury to read this? Would I want to read this in the news media?”
Scripture is full of warnings about the tongue:
Proverbs 14:3 “A fool’s mouth lashes out with pride,
but the lips of the wise protect them.”
Proverbs 15:1-4: A gentle answer turns away wrath,
but a harsh word stirs up anger.
The tongue of the wise adorns knowledge,
but the mouth of the fool gushes folly.
The eyes of the Lord are everywhere,
keeping watch on the wicked and the good.
The soothing tongue is a tree of life,
but a perverse tongue crushes the spirit.
1 Peter 3:10, quoting Psalm 34 12-14: “Whoever would love life and see good days must keep their tongue from evil and their lips from deceitful speech.”
Luke 6:45: “A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.”
As Luke points out, the poison is not really in the tongue; the tongue reveals the poison that is in the heart. However much someone will try to mask their feelings, sooner or later they will be betrayed by the proverbial “slip of the tongue.”
The best way to tame the tongue is to is to surrender your heart to Jesus and let the Spirit cleanse it.
Poem
Each Moment
Proverbs 18
Words kill, words give life; they’re either poison or fruit—you choose.
Proverbs 18:21
Each moment, there’s a choosing
Between the worst or best
To use our words for cursing
Or use our words to bless
The one will cause destruction
It has the pow’r to kill
The other, great encouragement--
The anxious soul to still
So be alert, dear Pilgrim
Each moment, everyday
Will words from you bring dark chaos
Or bless one on their way
