“For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word the same is a perfect man, and able to bridle the whole body.” (James 3:2)
The New American Standard Bible has this verse reading, “For we all stumble in many ways…” Who has not stumbled in speech? We speak a word in anger or we stretch the truth a bit, or we swear on God’s name or use a vulgarity. It could be we repeat something that was spoken in confidence or we tell something, the telling of which causes hurt and pain to the person about which we have spoken.
The only person who never stumbled or offended in speech was Jesus, the Son of God. James uses the pronoun, “we,” thus including himself in the ability to stumble in word. Again, only Jesus is not guilty.
A man who has his speech under control is able to bridle or control his whole body. The Psalmist wrote, “Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in thy sight, Oh LORD, my strength, and my redeemer. (Psalm 19:14) Let that be our prayer today.
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