The Alpha of Disciplining the Tongue

UV 2135/10000 The Alpha of Disciplining the Tongue
I said, I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue: I will keep my mouth with a bridle, while the wicked is before me.
Psalm 39 v
The horse is said to be on the average ten times more powerful than a man. Likewise, the tiny tongue in our mouths belying its diminutive size is ten times more powerful in terms of potential for good and evil than any other part of our bodies. Like a horse is controlled by bridle and reins, we need to use the word of God to control our tongues so that it gallops, trots, walks on His paths. A horse even if bridled needs a rider. The rider for our tongues is the Holy Spirit but we need to invite the Holy Spirit to sit on the bridle and ride our tongues, making it move in the direction He wants us to move.
There are times when the horse is muzzled so that it cannot open its mouth. Likewise, we need to discern the times when we need to keep silent and not utter a word. The trouble is that the spur or provocation that causes us to often speak are the words, barbed insults, sarcasm, mocking statements, demeaning, proud, lying, malicious speech of others within our earshot. We need to discipline ourselves to either remove ourselves from their vicinity or learn to muzzle our own mouths.
The fruit of eternal life flows like a fountain from the spirit-controlled and led tongue. When we love eternal life in Christ, the fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, humility and self control flow into and overflow into the lives of others. Conversely, if we love eternal death or a state of being separated from the Lord forever, we will enjoy or rather suffer the opposite consequences. James asks us to aim for a six sigma speech pattern where we commit no error even of speaking when we should remain silent or of speaking inappropriate or offensive words that hurt or harm others. We need to speak to build the faith, hope and love of others. It is the tongue of the messenger of God that blesses him from head to foot. The tongue instead of being the natural source of destructive fire and sparks will be the source of supernatural and creative fire as nothing else can. This is perhaps the reason that the anointing of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost descended on the early believers and disciples as tongues of fire. We need to yield our tongues to the Lord to cause us to speak what He wills even as the pen of a writer yields to him to write precise, concise and beautiful words that make sense and meaning of life.