The Bullet Never Lies: What the Tongue Reveals About the Heart
“If anyone thinks himself to be religious while not bridling his tongue but deceiving his own heart, this man’s religion is worthless” (James 1:26).
“For we all stumble in many ways. If anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to bridle the entire body as well” (James 3:2).
James wrote to believers who were suffering under tremendous pressures and trials. In his letter, he continually reminds them that genuine faith expresses itself in endurance, humility, and godly conduct, even under hardship. Early in the letter, James gives one of the clearest and most practical tests of spiritual maturity—the tongue.
The Tongue as the Test of Maturity
These two verses above serve as bookends to the same spiritual issue. In chapter 1, James speaks of immaturity; in chapter 3, he speaks of maturity. If you cannot bridle your tongue, you are still growing. You are incomplete. You still have room to mature. But if you can bridle your tongue, James says, you are mature, complete, and spiritually whole.
James, the half-brother of Jesus, understood well what his brother had taught:
For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks (Matthew 12:34).
The tongue is the great revealer. It gives away the secrets of the heart. You can work very hard to manage appearances or behaviors, but eventually, your words will tell the truth about what is really going on inside. The mouth always reveals the heart’s direction.
Recently, during a men’s outing with our church, I shared a simple but vivid illustration: a bullet never lies. No matter how beautiful or plain the gun is, no matter how fancy the sights or how old the barrel, the bullet will always go exactly where the barrel is pointed. Every single time. You can say, “I thought I had it aimed somewhere else,” but the bullet will not be fooled—it always tells the truth about where the gun was pointed.
In the same way, the mouth never lies about the heart. The actions reflect what is inside. The tone of our voice, the words we choose, the way we respond—all of these things disclose our hearts. When James says that if we cannot bridle our tongue our religion is “useless,” he is reminding us that a lack of self-control in speech points to deeper heart issues. On the other hand, if we can bridle our tongue, we show evidence of maturity—the kind of completeness that James says is the goal of every believer in chapter 1.
We Are All Still in Process
However, there is another reality we must acknowledge: none of us can control our tongues perfectly. James himself says, “We all stumble in many things.” We are all sinners in progress. None of us have arrived. None of us are complete. We are all somewhere between the “from” and the “to” stage of sanctification. We were saved from our sin, and we are being sanctified to be like Christ. In between those two points, we live in process—growing, stumbling, repenting, learning, and maturing together.
That is why James 2:13 is such a precious truth for the believer:
For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
Since we are all in process, we must relate to one another with mercy rather than judgment. Mercy remembers that others are also still growing. Mercy acknowledges that spiritual maturity takes time and that sanctification is a journey.
Living with a Bridled Tongue—Three Prayers
James does not leave us guessing. He tells us that the mature believer is not perfect, but rather humble, merciful, and engaged in the process of growth. In light of that truth, here are three ways to pray:
Give me the humility to recognize that I am a sinner.
Humility is the soil in which all other virtues grow. The humble heart admits, “I am still in process. I have not arrived.” Pride blinds us to our faults and justifies our words. Humility opens our eyes and leads to confession, repentance, and change.Give me mercy when I view other people.
When you listen to someone speak—especially when they are under pressure—it is easy to become critical or impatient. But remember: mercy triumphs over judgment. God has shown incredible mercy to you; therefore, extend that same mercy to others. Instead of condemning, encourage. Instead of gossiping, pray.Give me tenacity to stay engaged in the process.
Growth is not automatic. Maturity takes intentionality, discipline, and perseverance. By God’s grace, through the Word and in community, you can learn to pause, to think, and to speak in ways that honor Christ. Tenacity means we do not give up when we stumble. We confess, we learn, and we try again.
Conclusion—The Bullet Never Lies
Ultimately, our words reflect our hearts. Just as the bullet reveals where the barrel was truly pointed, our words reveal where our hearts are truly aimed. When our hearts are aimed toward Christ—filled with His Spirit and grounded in His Word—our speech will reflect grace, truth, and love.
May we be humble enough to admit our sin, merciful enough to bear with others, and tenacious enough to keep growing until the day we see Christ face to face. Then, and only then, will our words more fully reflect the perfection James describes—the perfection of a heart completely aligned with its Savior.
This article was originally posted at KevinCarson.com