TAMING THE TONGUE
Jas 3:1 Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.
The cost of being a teacher? You will be judged more strictly. Those who are in positions of authority will be judged more strictly. This is a sobering reality and should motivate all teachers to
As Paul told Timothy:
2Ti 2:15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. If you are any type of teaching role prayer, study, reflection, having a heart that wants to correctly handle the word.
Jas 3:2 We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check.
We are stumblers. We sin in many ways. Sometimes it’s our pride, rudeness, or we are not kind or gentle. We have a lack of self-control especially on vacations or during holidays. We are at fault in what we say. None are perfect able to keep themselves in check totally. How do we not stumble? How did Jesus Christ go through this life and never stumble?
Pr 3:21 My son, preserve sound judgment and discernment, do not let them out of your sight;
Pr 3:22 they will be life for you, an ornament to grace your neck.
Pr 3:23 Then you will go on your way in safety, and your foot will not stumble;
Pr 3:24 when you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.
Pr 3:25 Have no fear of sudden disaster or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked,
Pr 3:26 for the LORD will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being snared.
God says My son: How beautiful is that language! You can imagine a Father putting his arm around his son and teaching him the right way. The Father giving his son his heart.
Define preserve: continue: keep or maintain in unaltered condition; cause to remain or last;
Pr 4:10 Listen, my son, accept what I say, and the years of your life will be many.
Pr 4:11 I guide you in the way of wisdom and lead you along straight paths.
Pr 4:12 When you walk, your steps will not be hampered; when you run, you will not stumble.
Pr 4:13 Hold on to instruction, do not let it go; guard it well, for it is your life.
Pr 4:14 Do not set foot on the path of the wicked or walk in the way of evil men.
Pr 4:15 Avoid it, do not travel on it; turn from it and go on your way.
Pr 4:16 For they cannot sleep till they do evil; they are robbed of slumber till they make someone fall. Pr 4:17 They eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence.
Pr 4:18 The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining ever brighter till the full light of day. Pr 4:19 But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know what makes them stumble.
Some of us by our actions cause others to stumble. We do this by seeking our own good but this is not the way of Christ. God will not bless such actions. Paul says I don’t seek my own good but the good of others.
1Co 10:32 Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God—
1Co 10:33 even as I try to please everybody in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved. That’s the heart to have. It’s a heart that is concerned about ones example. It’s a heart that cares about how your actions might effect other people.
Jas 3:3 When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. Jas 3:4 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.
Jas 3:5 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.
Jas 3:6 The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.
Small but powerful. A bit is small but put in the right place is powerful and you can control horses. A rudder is small but again in the right place is powerful. The tongue too is small but it makes great boasts. We know what the bible says about boasting! Boasting Defined: speaking of yourself in superlatives. There is good boasting though. Paul says in:
1Co 1:31 Therefore, as it is written: “Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.”
Gal 6:14 May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.
Most boasting done by men is evil though. In James 4 in a section about:
Boasting About Tomorrow
Jas 4:13 Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.”
Jas 4:14 Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.
Jas 4:15 Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.”
Jas 4:16 As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil.
Jas 4:17 Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn’t do it, sins.
So the tongue makes great boasts. It’s small but powerful and often times out of control.
Ever had a conversation and because of what you said it started a fire. I mean a raging fire. Before you know it is out of control. There is a fire blazing in your house. Your angry, your spouse or roommate is angry. Some holler, scream, throw things. It’s out of control. Others of us don’t go that far but still it’s like I can’t put this thing out. I can’t get control of this thing. You’re trying to put it out but you can’t. With each word that you say it keeps getting worse.
I thought what if the fire department was notified each time there was an argument in your house. For some homes they would just camp outside the door. They don’t knock they know there’s a fire. They kick in the door and start hosing you and your wife down. O.K. their good they say as they leave.
In my anger I made an insensitive comment to Tres and I needed the whole department to come over and help. I was trying to put it out but it just kept getting worse. I needed the department to bring all the trucks (one truck Mr. Cannon, no all of them every one you have!!!). You know what puts out the fire? Humility and repentance.
Jas 3:7 All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, Jas 3:8 but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.
No man can tame the tongue. Why? The bible says it’s a restless evil, full of deadly poison. The only person who ever kept his tongue completely in check was Jesus. With Jesus the tongue was tamed! Someone finally did it. Jesus had perfect speech for 33 and half years.
Jas 3:9 With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness. Jas 3:10 Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. Jas 3:11 Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? Jas 3:12 My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.
How is it that some will be in church praising God and as soon as they are out of church, curse men. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing? No. That’s why James says that if you can’t keep a tight rein on your tongue your religion is worthless. Strong language. Paul in describing the human race said in:
Ro 3:13 “Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit. ”“The poison of vipers is on their lips.” Ro 3:14 “Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.” There’s something wrong with the heart of a person who does this. As the scripture says out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.
And so we must be careful when teaching for we will be judged more strictly. Don’t make anyone stumble with your choices. To keep from stumbling immerse yourself with the word for it will guide you and protect your way. If you start a fire with your tongue humility and repentance will put it out.
Let us be filled with praising God our Father and for heavens sake keep away from all cursing. May God bless you.
