James Teaches Us To Bridle Our Tongue

Tonight we had a condensed Family Home Evening.  Joel pulled out the scriptures and read about bridling our tongues.  It was a wonderful mini lesson.  A few weeks ago we heard it in Sunday School.  But, yesterday I posted about people being mean and not knowing why.  Here are some things James teaches us (BTW, did you know James was Jesus brother?  How cool is that? I didn't until the lesson in Sunday School.)

James 1:26

 26 If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his ^atongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is^bvain.

James 3:2-13

 2 For in many things we ^aoffend all. If any man ^boffend not in^cword, the same is a ^dperfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.

 3 Behold, we put bits in the horses’ mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body.

 4 Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and aredriven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the ^agovernor listeth.

 5 Even so the tongue is a little member, and ^aboasteth great things. Behold, how great a ^bmatter a little fire kindleth!

 6 And the ^atongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.

 7 For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind:

 8 But the ^atongue can no man tame; it is an ^bunruly evil, full of deadly poison.

 9 Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith ^acursewe men, which are made after the ^bsimilitude of God.

 10 Out of the same ^amouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.

 11 Doth a ^afountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter?

 12 Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh.

 13 Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good ^aconversation his works with^bmeekness of wisdom.


Peter 3:10
 10 For he that will love life, and see good days, let him ^arefrainhis ^btongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no ^cguile:


Mosiah 4:30
 30 But this much I can tell you, that if ye do not ^awatchyourselves, and your ^bthoughts, and your ^cwords, and your deeds, and observe the commandments of God, and ^dcontinue in the faith of what ye have heard concerning the coming of our Lord, even unto the end of your lives, ye must perish. And now, O man, remember, and perish not.


As I review these scriptures, I hope and pray that I am not mean to others.  That I show my religion through kindness and gentleness.  Some things do not need to be said.  Some things do not even need to be thought.  I so want to be a better person.  I hope if I have offended or hurt someone, they will forgive me.  For my religion is to try to live like our Savior.  To have the Savior help make the difference for me so that I can have eternal life with my family.


I am so grateful for the blessing in my life - good people, good ideas, and great blessings!

Why are people mean?

I have often wondered why someone thinks they need to say something when it's mean.  Anyone know?  I am disturbed by this.  I don't know what their mission is.  Do they feel bad about themselves so by putting down others it lifts them in some absurd way?  Not sure what the answer is.

But, my mamma taught me "If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all."  I have to agree with that.  I find that when I say something that wasn't so nice, it doesn't help me feel better, or the person I said it too.  Basically, when I am mean: I feel worthless and disappointed in myself.  So, I agree with my mamma.  "If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all."

Now, as an adult, I wonder why people are still mean.  I wonder what their motives are.  I wonder if they think by saying the thing they shouldn't be saying, that it will save the world?  So, the other day, my son said to me, "Not trying to be mean, . .. but, . . . . "  I stopped him right in his tracks and said.  So, what you are saying, is "I am going to be mean.  I am going to tell you something and because I preface it with this statement, you will just have to forgive me, because quite honestly I am going to say it anyway."  He stopped.  And thought.  And then said, "Mom, your right, that isn't so nice to say."

So, my next thought.  How to handle someone who is just full of criticism all the time.

Hummm  . . . So, as I was typing I remembered a bunch of poems, thoughts, and things that my dear sweet Grandma Great left for us.  Here is what she said:

The Answers to your problems.
1.  I've been criticized - go to Matthew 5:44
2.  I'm discouraged - go to Luke 18:27
3.  I'm tempted - go to 1 Corinthians 10:13
4.  I anger easily - go to Proverbs 15:1
5.  I'm afraid - go to Joshua 1:9
6.  I criticize to others too much - go to John 8:7
7.  I lack self confidence - go to Matthew 7:7
8.  Does faith elude me? - go to Hebrews 11:1
9.  I need more strength - go to Philippians 4:13

I miss my dear Grandma Great.  She was the kindest, sweetest, most influential person in my life.  I am very grateful she left so much for me, to help me along my journey.

Grandma gave me advice when I got married.  She said, "You can catch more flies with honey, then you can with vinegar."