Put A Bit In It - Daily Devotional May 11th, 2010

Bible Reading - Numbers 20, Psalm 58-59, Isaiah 9, James 3

Put A Bit In It

James 3:2 absolutely blows me a way and gives us insight into being a perfect man/woman. If we can glean from this passage today we can control our whole entire being and nature. This verse in the Amplified Bible reads, "For we all often stumble and fall and offend in many things. And if anyone does not offend in speech [never says the wrong things], he is a fully developed character and a perfect man, able to control his whole body and to curb his entire nature".

If we can learn to tame our tongues or control our speech and not say the wrong things than we can fully develop our character and become that perfect man/woman. The reason we can grow in our character by taming the tongue is because according to Proverbs 18:21 the tongue is very powerful. "Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits". The tongue is so powerful that if we can learn to control it we can control the life we live. As great as this sounds though it is not always that easy. Therefore we need to put a bit in our mouth.

As we read on in James 3:3 we see that right after the warning about the tongue comes it gives us the example of the horse with a bit in its mouth. I believe this gives us the principle we need in order to tame our tongue and begin to direct our lives in the right direction. The small bit in the horses mouth pulls the horse in the direction the rider wants it to go just as our tongue will direct our lives. We just need to put a bit in our mouth and allow our tongue to be tamed so that God can steer us in the right diction. So lets get the bit and put it in our mouth!

The bit I think we all need is the Word of God. It says in Job 23:12, "I have not departed from the commandment of his lips; I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my portion of food" and in Joshua 1:8, "This Book of the Law (Word of God) shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success". These are just a few verses that come to mind but there are many more throughout the Bible that point to the vast importance of having His word be what leads us and guides us. I believe the Word of God is the bit that needs to go in our mouth so that we can tame the tongue and be the perfect man/woman that it speaks of here in James.

When we meditate on the Word of God we become more patient so we respond with more thought rather than lashing out. We understand that kind words turn away anger and mean words stir them up. We become a people who listens first and speaks second. When we have the Word of God the bit in our mouth taming our tongue we have wisdom from above that we speak rather than just circumstance from life that we give.

Lets all put a bit in it today and let that bit be the Word of God so that we can be that perfect man/woman.

Tomorrows Bible Reading - Numbers 21, Psalm 60-61, Isaiah 10, James 4

Dream Big
Ben