He who guards his mouth and tongue, guards himself from trouble (Prov. 21:23)
James, the "pillar of the church" (Gal. 2:9), recognizes that an uncontrolled tongue has tremendous destructive and dangerous power. He's not the only one who said that. People of various civilizations have warned us about the need to control our speech. Some of the verses of the poem below, written by an unknown person, express this very beautifully:
"A tongue without bones, so small and weak, is capable of crushing and killing," said the Greeks.
A wise Persian proverb says, "A long tongue is like an early death." Sometimes it can also say: "Don't let your tongue cut off your head."
While the Arab wise instilled, "The great warehouse of the tongue is the heart."
From the Hebrews came the proverb: "The foot may slip, but not the tongue."
A verse from the Holy Bible sums it all up: "He who guards his mouth and tongue guards himself."
No wonder James likens the tongue to a small fire that can burn a dense forest, or to a minuscule rudder that steers a large ship in a storm (Jas. 3:4-6).
Lord, help us to learn valuable lessons from the wise. Help us to bridle our tongues and not let them run wild --HWR
Some people are quiet and calm Though they deserve praise; Their preaching was done With guard of mouth and heart. --Posegate
A WISE MAN IS A PERSON WHO KNOWS WHAT TO SAY AND WHEN TO SAY IT
* Take from Daily Reflections