"The Tongue of the Wise"

“A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. The tongue of the wise commends knowledge, but the mouths of fools pour out folly. The eyes of the Lord are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good. A gentle tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness in it breaks the spirit.” (Proverbs 15:1-4 ESV)

It is easy to become frustrated and lash out, but remembering that controlling our words reflects Christ can inspire hope for growth and change in all of us. James wrote the words that we must try to remember: “Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God” (James 1:10-20). There is no righteousness in harsh words; there is nothing but embarrassment. It will happen, you will be so frustrated, and the last opposing thing will send you over the edge. The only thing we can do when this happens is apologize with soft words. Apologize and bless the one on whom we have sinned.

Our sin nature will raise its ugly head, and unless we listen to James and be slow to speak, we only make a fool of ourselves and embarrass the Lord. Yet, it is not only the one we have offended that we must make right, but the Lord to whom we must repent. Practicing patience and humility in these moments not only restores relationships but also serves as a testimony to others of Christ's transforming power. When we proclaim we are Christians, we are representing everything that is Christ, and in our loss of control, we taint Him and all He is to us.

I want to remind us of Paul’s words to the church in Galatia, “For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” (3:27) Christ came in the flesh and died so that we who believe in Him may find salvation. We are new creatures in Christ, our worldly being reborn in the Spirit (2 Corinthians 5:17). We must have mercy on others and give the grace of Christ as we were also given grace to come to faith in Him.

We oppose all Christ said in the Sermon on the Mount when He taught, “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.” When we speak in haste, we ignore this teaching. Just as when we have lost our temper, we have fallen short of His teaching, “But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire” (Matthew 5:22).

“For he says to Moses, 'I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.' So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy” (Romans 9:15-16). God’s words to Moses, as told by Paul in Romans. We must have mercy on others, as we who are saved are saved by the mercy of God. We cannot save ourselves from our sins, nor can we save others. Therefore, remember who cleansed you with His blood, who gave you faith through grace, and in salvation made you an heir with Him to the kingdom of God.

Remember, James, and be “slow to speak, slow to anger,” lest you mock the Savior and embarrass yourself. If you do not know Jesus Christ as your Savior, if you do not know His mercy and grace, if you are lost in your anger and frustration, come to Christ. His mercy is available to all who seek Him, and understanding this can motivate you to ongoing repentance and deepen your faith. There is nothing in your past that He has not already seen, and nothing that would keep Him from rescuing you from the eternal pit.

Seek Christ and find eternal life.

Grace and Peace.