The Heart and the Tongue

“No human being can tame the tongue.” - James 3:8

James suggests that it’s impossible to tame the tongue - because it does not speak on its own. As Jesus taught,

“The mouth speaks what the heart is full of.” - Matthew 12:34

So today as we work on speaking blessing and avoiding blasting people, let’s take a moment to work on the heart. Reflect on this wisdom by one of the great pastors of the last century. What is God saying to you? How might you respond?

Many voices ask for our attention. There is a voice that says, 'Prove that you are a good person.' Another voice says, 'You’d better be ashamed of yourself.' There also is a voice that says, 'Nobody really cares about you,' and one that says, 'Be sure to become successful, popular, and powerful.' But underneath all these often very noisy voices is a still, small voice that says, 'You are my Beloved, my favor rests on you.' That’s the voice we need most of all to hear. To hear that voice, however, requires special effort; it requires solitude, silence, and a strong determination to listen. That’s what prayer is. It is listening to the voice that calls us 'my Beloved'.”

- Henry Nouwen