I once knew a fellow that you would describe as religious. He had strong beliefs. He spoke out against liquor, lewdness, and the like. He gave out of his pocket for good works. He made it to services on a regular basis. He never stole from his neighbor, never cheated on his wife, and never lied to his boss. All and very religious.
Expect.
If you upset him, he’d
yell at you. If you disagreed with him, he’d curses you. If you irked him, he’d
badmouth you. If you did something he didn’t agree with, he’d speak against you.
If you made a mistake, he’d tell everyone about it. If you weren’t on his side,
he’d mock you.
So, what kind of religion
did he have? According to James a worthless one.
If anyone thinks himself to be
religious, and yet does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this
man's religion is worthless.
James 1:26
You can be right on in doctrine and practices
but if you don’t consider your words and keep them in check, it’s all in vain.
The tongue is too dangerous to let it flow freely. We may think ourselves religious,
we may seem to be so to others, but words must match our actions. Normally we
think of the hypocrisy of not practicing what we preach but it also can work in
reverse. If we are religious but never bother considering our words, it is just
as empty.
You may think you
know that fellow I mentioned. I’m sure you do. We’ve all seen him, not the same
him but the character nonetheless. In fact, we may see him in the mirror. Our
words matter (Matt. 12:37). Let's make sure that our religion isn’t made
meaningless by them.
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