At the beginning of each New Year, many well-meaning individuals make resolutions to do or not do something. For example, memberships soar at gyms and fitness centers as the flabby resolve to become faithful and fit.
If you’ve put on a little weight (or a lot) and want to get rid of it, or simply want to commit to a healthy God-honoring lifestyle—properly exercising one small but often overlooked muscle can perfect your entire body. That muscle is the tongue!
Scripture defines a perfect person as one who is never at fault in what they say. “We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check. When we put bits into mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body” James 3:2-5a.
So important is the proper use and exercise of the tongue that it is mentioned 93 times in the Bible (NIV and 129 times in the KJV).
Working out without training the tongue leaves one woefully out of shape.
“…Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person… With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be” James 3:5b-6a, 9-10.
In addition to a regular exercise routine, target your tongue. View this as resistance training—resist the urge to murmur, complain, exaggerate, lie, speak negatively or sarcastically, backbite, gossip, etc.
During resistance training when an exercise proves difficult for a single participant a spotter acts as a support person thus allowing the participant to lift or push more than they could do alone or safely. The psalmist David said, “Set a guard over my mouth, O Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips” Psalm 141:3.
Proverbs 10:19-21a says, “When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise. The tongue of the righteous is choice silver… The lips of the righteous nourish many.”
Jesus longs to be our personal trainer, perfecting us body, soul, spirit, and speech. This New Year let’s resolve to work out with Him daily!