James 3:8 But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.

That is a rather harsh and bold statement. I sometimes think it could use a bit of editing.

These devotionals are short and easily edited. I can for the most part read them three or four times and do self-editing. I will from time to time publish one with a minor flaw, usual a syntax error or alternate spellings of words that sound alike but mean something different. Their, there, they’re. Simple meaningless, harmless. Our scripture today is anything but harmless.

Larger works, periodicals, pamphlets and books undergo a series of edits and fact checks before being released. Not so with speech. The words come out of your mouth and nothing can be done to change the words, inflection, tone, or impact. Those words can often be loosed without any amount of self-editing.

I would like to tone down the speech James gives here, it seems harsh. But it is factual in context if not content. The tongue will give away what is in the heart of each of us. We may by intentional practice deceive others but the tongue will eventually give us up for what we are inside.

If the inner man has changed, the tongue will reveal it. God places a high degree of importance on the condition of the heart. Your tongue will be honest in revealing your heart. If you repent of things you have said, do not blame the tongue, it cannot be tamed. In can only reflect the intent of the heart. Those moments need to be taken to heart and offered up to correction in the spirit, for the spirit has the power to change the heart.

The Holy Spirit is The Editor in Chief and has the last say.

John 9:16 Therefore said some of the Pharisees, This man is not of God, because he keepeth not the sabbath day. Others said, How can a man that is a sinner do such miracles? And there was a division among them.

Did Jesus cause a division within the Pharisees? No, there was already division and strife within that sect. It was the actions of Jesus that got them talking about those divisions.

Some will point out the man who Jesus healed. Some will point to the law regarding the Sabbath. Some will even point to Jesus. How many point to the division?

The division is the essence of Christ’s mission on earth. Every point in His ministry seems to center around division.

Matthew 25:32 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:

2 Corinthians 6:17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.

Jude 19 These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit.

Even at the dying moments of the Cross Jesus was between two thieves, only one of whom was promised to be with Him in paradise that day.

But no greater division has there been in His mission that to cause division within us.

Hebrew 4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

How can He do that?

He is God. All things are possible with God.