Taming the Tongue.

Taming the tongue is an important skill to learn. As horses are bridled to control them, we need to control our tongues and spoken words.

The Brain and Tongue

Just like a picture puzzle has many pieces, so does our body. We might love or hate how we look or what we do at times. But as we think of how powerful our words are, we need to look at our tongue. Obviously, our brain plays a huge role in making that muscle work and in what comes out of it, as does our heart and our attitudes.

 In James 3:2,3,7-9 we read,

We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check.
When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal.
All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man.
But no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.
With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men who have been made in God’s likeness.
Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be.

Bridling a Horse

I have read these verses for years but this city girl never had the opportunity to be around horses until recently to see first-hand bridling a horse. When our youngest daughter, Amee, began to do therapy riding with Special Olympics Equestrian, I accompanied her to the stables each week. The coach made sure a helper taught Amee the safety measures for being around a huge animal, how to groom the horse, saddle, and bridle the horse. This person also stayed close while she rode while holding the lead line.

Then Amee learned how to groom her horse before and after the riding. I even helped a bit. There is something therapeutic about brushing the horse’s coat. It took time before Amee learned how to put the halter on and lead the horse from the corral to the stable to get ready for a lesson. But with only one good hand she still needed someone to open and close the gate for her. She couldn’t hang on to the horse and look after the gate. One night the helper hadn’t arrived and the coach told me I should go be the gate buddy. I knew how to open and close the gate but I hoped Amee remembered how to put the halter on the horse because I had no clue what to do. She remembered and I knew I needed to learn.

Since then, Amee has learned how to do everything except put on the bridle, that one piece of equipment needed to control the horse and have it go where you want it to go. I tried to learn by watching over and over. Sometimes I can do it, but often, all the pieces of leather and metal become jumbled in my mind and my hands and we have to call for more help.

Taming the Horse and Taming the Tongue

As I watch Amee ride and command her horse via the bit in its mouth, I thought of this passage in James where it compares taming the horse and the inability for us to tame such a little part of our body like the tongue.

How often do words spew out of my mouth that I wish I could take back? How many other times do I keep silent instead of sharing what God is doing in my life with others? I praise God and keep silent. I praise God and let angry thoughts become words. God tells us this shouldn’t be so.

A bit and bridle can allow you to guide your horse in the direction you want it to go. We can tame our pets and even wild animals have been tamed enough to be trained, although they remain unpredictable. But our tongues get us into more trouble than we might care to admit. Only God can bridle them for us but he waits for us to ask him to help us guard our hearts and our mouths. Once those words are out, we can’t put them back in. If a horse refuses a bit, you cannot control the direction he goes. I pray my words are filtered through God’s love.

Are you dealing with discouraging words? We would love to hear from you. Comment below or contact us at HopeStreamRadio.