There is a beast within our

bodies that cannot be controlled apart from divine intervention.

It is tiny, but has the potential

to cause massive destruction. This beast can spew poison, or can heap

praise. It is a picture of inconsistency. This beast is our tongue, the

monster in our mouth, and the New Testament writer James says we need

to put a bridle on it.

More accurately, he writes

that we can bridle horses and control their direction, but it's hard to

tame the tongue.

I heard of a pastor who had

a church member who was a notorious gossip. She would stay on the phone

all day keeping something going, or stirring something up. She came to

the pastor one day and said, "Pastor, the Lord has convicted me of

my sin of gossip. My tongue is getting me and others into trouble."

The pastor was only human,

so he couldn't help but doubt her sincerity since she had gone through

this routine before. Guardedly he asked, "