Since the tongue can have such a powerful effect either for good or for bad, perfect control of the tongue would naturally be desirable. For imperfect humans, however, that is an impossibility.

But the tongue, not one of mankind can get it tamed.”​—Jas. 3:2, 7, 8.

Does this mean that we should not even try to control our tongue? No. Restraining the tongue may be very hard. But this does not excuse our misusing it. Note what the disciple James continues on to write: “An unruly injurious thing, [the tongue] is full of death-dealing poison.