Charles Spurgeon Commentary James 1:22-26

"But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deluding your own selves. For if any one is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a mirror: for he beholdeth himself, and goeth away, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But he that looketh into the perfect law, the [law] of liberty, and [so] continueth, being not a hearer that forgetteth but a doer that worketh, this man shall be blessed in his doing. If any man thinketh himself to be religious, while he bridleth not his tongue but deceiveth his heart, this man`s religion is vain." — James 1:22-26 (ASV)

But be you doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if any man is a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like a man beholding his natural face in a mirror: for he beholds himself, and goes his way, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But whoever looks into the perfect law of liberty, and continues in it, not being a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. If any man among you seems to be religious, and does not bridle his tongue, but deceives his own heart, this man's religion is vain. (James 1:22–26)

That which is in the well will come up in the bucket, and that which is in the heart will come up on the tongue. An unbridled tongue denotes an unrenewed heart. Oh, that God would ever give us grace in our heart to use our tongue rightly! Then, as the water guides the whole ship, our tongue will guide our whole body, and the whole of our manhood will be under holy government and control.