Opening Prayer
Father, your Word is a lamp that guides me and a light on my path. Please use it today to help me follow you.
Read JAMES 3:1–12
Taming the Tongue
3 Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. 2 We all stumble in many ways. Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect, able to keep their whole body in check.
3 When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. 4 Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. 5 Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. 6 The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.
7 All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, 8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.
9 With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. 10 Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. 11 Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? 12 My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.
New International Version (NIV)Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Meditate
‘Dear Lord and Father of mankind, / forgive our foolish ways’.1
Think Further
What can be missed about this passage, with its vivid teaching on the power of the tongue, is its context (vv. 1, 2): it is addressed to aspiring teachers in the community. Teachers usually make significant use of their tongues so, although this teaching is also broadened to ‘anyone’ (v. 2, NASB), perhaps the message here is being particularly applied by James to those who would teach.
The familiar analogies in verses 3–5 emphasize the power of the tongue and the destructive impact words can have. The tongue’s influence is not just confined to the impact on others, because it also has a profound influence on the person speaking the words (v. 6). Regardless of the remarkable things that humans have achieved in taming wild animals, the tongue remains to be tamed (vv. 7, 8). Despite our best efforts, we still find that our tongue will be praising God one moment and, the very next moment, speaking words that have the potential to destroy another human (vv. 9, 10). James is clear that this should not be and that, just as nature can only produce what is true to its nature, so Christians should only produce words true to that nature (vv. 11, 12).
We all know that words can damage another and some of us have been deeply wounded by others’ words. The good news is that, by the power of the Holy Spirit, these wounds can be healed and that there is forgiveness for those who recognize that their tongues have hurt another. For those in need of healing, we may need the support and prayers of someone we trust. For those who need forgiveness: have we asked Jesus to forgive – and might we need to go to another and ask for their forgiveness for the words we have used?
Apply
‘May these words of my mouth … be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.’2 This is the only remedy for the power of the tongue.
Closing prayer
Lord God, thank you for the gift of language. Please help me use my words to encourage others to see and praise you.
Last Updated on April 9, 2024 by kingstar
