Day 319: What controls your tongue? - James 3 vs 1 – 18

1-2 Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. 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. 3-4 When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us we can turn the whole animal. 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. 6 Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. 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. 7-8 All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 9-12 With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness.  Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers and sisters, can a fig-tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.

13-14 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.  But if you harbour bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, don’t boast about it or deny the truth. 15-17 Such ‘wisdom’ does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. 18 But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness. James 3:1-18 New International Version

If you compare vs 1-2 with vs 13-14, what do you think James' concern was, and what was his advice?

It seems to me his concern was that, as people grew in the faith, some might regard themselves as wiser than others and would want to take the lead. That could lead to the envy and selfish ambition he mentions, as well as saying things that cause a lot of damage in the Church. He uses delightful examples in vs 3-4 of how small things can have such a massive impact – and then reminds them that it only takes a small spark to set a forest ablaze. So too, an angry word, or even a true word spoken in the wrong spirit and from a wrong motive, can lead to great heartache. So he urges great caution in rushing off to teach others!

But it's not only true of wanting to become a teacher of God's people, it surely applies to daily conversations as well. Are we people who enjoy 'putting others in their place'? Are we quick to correct others and give our (usually) strong opinions? Do we always think our view needs to be heard? Earlier in this book James said: “You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry.” (James 1:19) But the problem here is what we read in vs 7-8. Is it easy to keep a curb on our speech?

Our words are often the most difficult thing to control. So what steps can we take? I think vs 9-12 are the starting point. We need to take to heart how inconsistent we are if we use the same mouth to sing hymns of praise to God as well as to say hurtful things to those made in His image. And we need to try and show what wisdom God has blessed us with by our actions rather than wanting to always be heard.(vs13-17) We should take a moment (or longer) to let the words of vs 18 sink in. They are certainly words we could put on our fridge, but better still if they are stored in our heart. James says there's a wisdom that is earthly, even demonic - and there's a wisdom that is from above. Which wisdom controls our tongue?