Speaking of the tongue, which no man can tame and which is evil and full of deadly poison, James 3:9 observes:

“Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God.”

If you were to hear me talk that way, which would you believe? Which would you accept as truly revealing the content of my heart?

It is impossible to bless God with a cursing tongue.

Blessing God does not undo my railing against another. It won’t even act as a counter balance to my evil speaking, somehow evening the score and giving me a clean slate.

“If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well” (James 2:8).

I am a child of the King. Thus, I should live as godly royalty. According to my royal obligations, I should love my neighbor as myself.

Have I given my neighbor any reason to “figure out” that I love him as I love myself?

At times, at times.

My neighbor knows me in a limited degree. I suspect he also knows my royal obligations enough to know I’m not meeting them perfectly.

The King also knows me. Intimately and completely, as He knows everybody. As He knew those of His day who claimed to carry the torch of godliness. Listen:

“But I know you, that ye have not the love of God in you” (John 5:42).

Does the King see His love in me?