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Speech: God's Creative Gift to Man
“7 For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, 8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God.” — James 3:7-9 ESV
Think for a moment about what makes us different than the rest of God’s creation. We have the ability to think, to imagine, to create, and to speak. These are just a few of the unique qualities that prompted God to summarize creation as very good in Genesis 1:31 where it had only previously been described as good.
In Genesis 1:28 God commissioned man to subdue the earth, and while these attributes allow us to do that, we often fail to subdue our own tongues. You see, it is our ability to think of evil thoughts, imagine prideful put downs, or create caustic quips that lead us to speak deadly poison.
It is remarkable that what makes us very good can also empower us to be very bad. But despite the evil our tongues can perform, it’s important to remember to use them for the good that they are capable of. May we appreciate this gift that shows how we are made in the likeness of God and use it to actually be like God. Let us all “bless our Lord and Father” this day and always.
