Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding. (Proverbs 23)
Peter, recognizing that Christens long for a fulfilled experience, a good life, a rich blessing from God, commands any who ‘would love life and see good days’ to ‘keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking guile’ (1 Pet. 3:10, quoting Ps. 34:12-13).
It would be impossible to pretend that ordinarily we see the tongue in this light.
We rarely stand alongside Genesis or Paul in finding in our speech the primary evidence of our fallen state.
We do not share Isaiah’s sense that here is a sin which in a special way separates us from God and brings us to condemnation.
Nor has anyone ever told us that a controlled tongue is the key to blessing, as Peter does, and as we are about to hear from James.
Let us ask James, then, why the tongue is so important and humbly wait to hear his reply.
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