Are my words honoring?

If anyone can control his tongue, it proves that he has perfect control over himself in every other way. We can make a large horse turn around and go wherever we want by means of a small bit in his mouth. And a tiny rudder makes a huge ship turn wherever the pilot wants it to go, even though the winds are strong. So also the tongue is a small thing, but what enormous damage it can do. A great forest can be set on fire by one tiny spark. And the tongue is a flame of fire. It is full of wickedness, and poisons every part of the body. And the tongue is set on fire by hell itself and can turn our whole lives into a blazing flame of destruction and disaster. Men have trained, or can train, every kind of animal or bird that lives and every kind of reptile and fish, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is always ready to pour out its deadly poison. Sometimes it praises our heavenly Father, and sometimes it breaks out into curses against men who are made like God. And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Dear brothers, surely this is not right! - James 3:2b-10 (Living Bible)

True believers, true Christians, totally transformed people, those who have been made new in Christ, will have a sanctified tongue. True believers must have a sanctified tongue.  You say, “Well, wait a minute. If we will have, then why do you tell us we must have?”  Because one is a sovereign reality in the new birth, and the other is a human responsibility that’s really ours to fulfill; and that’s the amazing tension and paradox of our Christian experience. - John MacArthur

For a man’s heart determines his speech. A good man’s speech reveals the rich treasures within him. An evil-hearted man is filled with venom, and his speech reveals it. And I tell you this, that you must give account on Judgment Day for every idle word you speak. Your words now reflect your fate then: either you will be justified by them or you will be condemned. - Matthew 12:34b-37 (Living Bible)

Our words — especially the unguarded ones — reveal what fills our hearts.
When pressure comes, what spills out? Patience or irritation? Faith or fear? Grace or criticism?

A tree from good stock doesn’t produce scrub fruit nor do trees from poor stock produce choice fruit. A tree is identified by the kind of fruit it produces. Figs never grow on thorns, or grapes on bramble bushes. A good man produces good deeds from a good heart. And an evil man produces evil deeds from his hidden wickedness. Whatever is in the heart overflows into speech. - Luke 6:43-45 (Living Bible)

I believe James had this passage in mind when he wrote about the tounge.  He was really referring to what our Lord had said. The true believer is known by his speech. A true believer speaks with a tongue that is under control. He warns us about two things: one, that we are revealed by our mouth; two, that our mouth has tremendous potential for disaster. And so he calls for us to have a tamed tongue. And if we do, it’s evidence that we’re a Christian and we’re walking in obedience. -James MacArthur

The tamed tongue isn’t self-engineered restraint. It is Spirit-produced control.

The tamed tongue is not silence — it is sanctified speech.

Is there growth in how quickly I correct careless words?

Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart,
be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord,
my strength, and my redeemer. - Psalm 19:14 (KJV)

Lord, guard my words before they leave my mouth.
When I fail, convict me quickly.
When I speak, let it build up, not burn down.
Sensitize my heart to the Holy Spirit regarding the words the I speak.
Make my speech evidence of Your transforming grace. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Be Encouraged to honor the God you serve with the words you speak.