So Fresh, So Clean

I was recently listening to someone talk about the book of James. Since we studied James for several weeks in class, I thought I had a pretty good handle on the subject. Then I remembered that we only actually studied the same 10 verses over and over again.

In James 3, he talks about our tongues. It goes on for several verses talking about little things making a big impact (horse's bit, ship's rudder, a fire's spark) and talks about how out of control our tongues can be. In verses 10 and 11 he has this to say :
10Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. 11Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring?
I always thought that I kind of understood the point James was trying to make. Your tongue can get you into big trouble so make sure you don't say bad stuff. The point of this passage is not "don't say bad stuff or you'll go to hell". The clue is in verse 10. Both blessings and curses can come out of my mouth. He compares it to a spring. A spring brings forth fresh water or salt water - it can't do both. This mirrors what is said in Proverbs 18:21 "the tongue has the power of life and death". Fresh water brings life, salt water does not. I spend too much time being a salt water spring resisting the urge to let salt water come out. I need to be tranformed. James says earlier that no man can tame a tongue. That's true, I can't. I need to allow God to remake me, to purify what's in me. I worry too much about what's coming out, failing to see that what comes out of my mouth is a direct result of what's in my heart. I can't claim to be fresh water on the inside if salt water comes out of my mouth. I can't say I'm full of life if words of life don't come out of my mouth. I need a transfusion. I need to allow God to make me fresh on the inside instead of asking him to forgive me for the saltwater coming out.
James isn't talking about not saying bad words. He's talking about correctly using the power we have been given. We have the power of life and death in our mouths. Will we speak life or death to our circumstances and the people around us? Will praise and blessing come out or will cursing come out. Cursing isn't speaking a bad word, cursing is speaking death. We Christians are quite capable of speaking death while only saying "safe" words. At least I know I am. I'm going to ask you to do me a favor. If you hear me, stop me. Don't allow me to speak anything but life to you.