“If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain.”   James 1: 26

Humans can be devout.  They can express an outward religiousness on demand.  It gives us a sense of pride, in a way, to have a piety that people notice.

We all know the religious person that wears their holiness on their sleeve.   They might attend multiple services each week.  They “behave’ in all the proper religious ways.  They don’t cheat on their spouse.  They might read their Bible on a regular basis.  They don’t struggle with drug addiction, or alcoholism.    Nothing wrong with any of that.

However, when they open their mouth, you know that there is something askew.   Criticism, judgment, and sarcasm leaves their lips.   They have something negative to say about everything and everyone.   They excel in delivering a verbal beating to either you, or someone else you know.

The Bible tells us that out of the abundance of the hearth, the mouth speaks.   With such a person, you have a fairly good thermometer of what is in their heart.   Despite their outward religiousness, a tongue that just injures, gossips and criticizes can tell you that their heart is far from the peace and joy that knows Christ.  James says here that their religious is in vain, not because their religion in itself can gain them anything, but that their tongue reveals it is no “religion” at all… merely a pretense covering over a darkened and distant heart.
Rather the Bible says that we should:

“Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers”.  (Eph 4:29)

That is the tongue of the righteous.  It imparts grace.  It edifies.  It builds up, encourages, and strengthens.

Keep a tight reign on your tongue.  Practice using it for imparting life and grace… to be a well of refreshing, rather than a poisoned spring that sickens and kills.   James goes on to say that both sweet and bitter water do not come forth from the same spring.  Let the words of your mouth tell of the grace that is in your heart.