Words spoken in anger or thoughtlessness, though they may not break bones, can irreparably damage or destroy a person's spirit long after broken bones heal.

Are we part of flaming — the aggressive and offensive interaction between Internet users? Or do we pursue righteousness in our speech and communication?

James provides some of the best advice on communication and control of the tongue. The correct order of communication is listening, waiting, and then responding.

What are we to do when destructive words come our way? We must learn to take everything with much patience and longsuffering, which will result in peace.

A word here or an anecdote there into the right ears can eventually cut another down like knives in the back, blindsiding the subject with wounding gossip.

The apostle James says that the tongue can metaphorically start a dangerous fire. He warns that gossip, tale-bearing and being a busy-body is like murder.

Jesus calls His disciples "the salt of the earth." Do we know what He meant? Here is the spiritual side of this common mineral compound.

James' exhortation about the use of the tongue seems to stop with James 3:12. However, the rest of the chapter provides more wisdom on controlling our speech.

The metaphor of properly flavoring our speech with salt applies to how we speak to those who have not yet been called, which reflects on the family name of God.

Relationships in the church have been charred by loose lips and careless tongues described in James 3:2, setting on fire the course of nature by hell.

Today's society is becoming increasingly insensitive and calloused to the base and profane words. Here is how to eliminate obscenities from our lives.

The apostle Paul advises Christians to speak graciously, our speech 'seasoned with salt.' We must control what we say because it exposes our hearts.

Some have grown so accustomed to using abusive language to demean and humiliate others that they no longer recognize they are doing it.

Childlike humility overlooks offenses, but childish pride causes one to strike out in retaliation when feelings are hurt or feathers are ruffled.

As God's chosen saints, we must not let our keyboard or mouth defile us. Godly conversation includes stifling the urge to win the argument at all costs.

Jesus didn't break the Sabbath, but he did break extra-legal fanatical human custom applied to the Sabbath apart from God's Law.

If we are not performing righteous acts with the right spirit (God's Holy Spirit or the mind of Christ) we will not hit the mark.

Reaping good fruit does not happen immediately. If we feel we are not reaping, we must consider that we might be reaping some negative things we have sown.

If we love another person, we like to think about him/her, to hear about him/her, please him/her, and we are jealous about his/her reputation and honor.

As teachers, we are all burdened with an unholy tongue, but we need to rule it to produce only holy speech. Ecclesiastes 10 focuses on a leader using gracious speech.

When Solomon visits the Temple, he comes away with a sense that too many treat religion far too casually, forgetting that they are coming before God.

As a fruit of God's Spirit, self control may be the single hardest to master over the course of a lifetime, yet we need it to do our parts in God's Kingdom.

The epistle of James stresses both faith and works, emphasizing those factors necessary for growth, enabling us to produce a bountiful harvest of fruit.

Assassinations have occurred frequently. There is an extremely dangerous kind of assassination—namely, character assassination through murmuring and gossip.

Profane living is equally, if not more significant, than profane words or speech. W bear the name of God; how we act and behave reflects on God.

The intent of fasting is to deflate our pride—the major taproot of sin—the biggest deterrent to a positive relationship with God. Humility heals the breach.

Pride elevates one above God, denigrating any dependence upon God, replacing it with self-idolatry. We ought to boast or glory in the Lord instead of ourselves.