…this one’s religion is useless.

James 1:26c

James says that if a person does not learn how to guard his tongue his religion is useless. The outcome is this: if you say one thing and do another, the words do not match the professed belief.  If I love God and love others, I will use words that edify and not tear down. Our words can have a great effect on other people in as much as our actions do.  What should follow the profession of our faith are words and actions that line up with the example of Christ. 

Proverbs 15:2- the tongue of the wise uses knowledge rightly, but the mouth of fools pours forth foolishness. 

We do not want to ruin our witness with the words that we use, but our words can be used to speak of the love of Christ and our actions should follow.  James says that we are to be doers of the word and not just hearers only. Let us heed this advice and go do what Jesus says to do and then our religion will be fruitful and not useless.