“The Perfect Man” James 3:2b

“The Perfect Man”
” … If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect
man, and able also to bridle the whole body.” James 3:2b

Our verse today describes the “perfect man. ” No, it’s not
you or me, of course, no matter whatever supposed attributes
we might possess! The perfect man does not only avoid
offending with his words; he is able to bridle or control, not
only his lips, vocal cords and tongue, but his whole body!
James has a lot to say about our tongues (see James 1:26,
3:5, 6 & 8). An unbridled tongue is deceiving. It starts fires, is
untamed, evil and poisonous! Over the decades of time, now
fifty-five years as a preacher of the Gospel, I have seen the
satanic work of the liar, the evil clanging of the gossip and the
divisive, devilish destruction of often, malicious talk about
others (whether true or untrue)!!
I try to use the stately response of David after the demise of
King Saul, recorded in II Samuel 1:20, “Tell it not in Gath,
publish it not in Ashkelon; ” Friend, just because you hear
something, you don’t have to repeat it. Just because you saw
something, you don’t have to spread it around. Salacious
things you might suspect DO NOT need to be broadcast all
over creation! Find a cemetery and bury these types of filthy
gossips and try to avoid, if you can, all the “professional”
gossips and tale-tellers that you know, whether man or
woman. For surely, they aren’t perfect!! Just hush up! (P.S.
Some folk get offended if told to shut up!) (P.S.S. That goes for
all the foolishness on the internet, chat rooms and whatever
else is going on today, where cowards attack people
unknowingly and God knows they sure aren’t the perfect
man.) -T.G.

Prepared by Roger Fulk, from excerpts from the “Baptist Bread” JANUARY 28, 2026, devotional by author Dr. Tim Green, Revival In Our Time, Day Heights, OH. With permission from Tim Green, editor of Baptist Bread.  The Baptist Bread