Tounge Trouble

My face caught on fire. I dropped the can and began running. I can still hear Carlos pleading, “Stop. Drop. And Roll”

Fine time for him to think of fire safety!. Eventually the fire went out. My skin was not burned thankfully-just the hair on my face--all the hair on my face. And the hair on my head was burned all the way to my forehead.

It looked like I had a receding hair-line. Ash was where my eyebrows were supposed to be. I didn’t know what I would tell my Mom and Dad.

I told them the first thing that I could think of “I fell down in sawdust and it stuck to my face” They weren’t buying that. I wasn’t allowed to play with Carlos anymore.

And I always came straight home from school.

Fire will burn you if you misuse it.

If you misuse your tongue, you will get burned as well. You may only think some one is dumb until he opens his mouth and removes all doubt. What we say has a profound effect on how we are viewed and treated.

It is extremely important for us Christians to do as we are instructed in

Col 4:6

6 Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.

v. 7-8

James 3:7-8

7 All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man,

8 but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless , full of ly poison.

Here is the heart of the message. Self control.

At the heart of self control (for the Christian) is a desire to be holy. This is what we strive for in a personal relationship with God. No one can attain any degree of holiness without God. That is why v. 8 says

8 but no man can tame the tongue.

God has made it possible for us to walk in holiness. Yet He has given us the responsibility of doing the walking; We enjoy talking about God’s provision, how he provided for our salvation and has given us the victory.

But we aren’t so ready to talk about our responsibility to walk in holiness. We want to put all responsibility on God. We pray for victory yet we open ourselves up to Satan’s full assault.

If we want to be victorious, there is a need to control ourselves. We put forth the initiative and God gives the power.

It’s like a hydraulic car jack. We do the action of pumping but it’s the jack that lifts the car.

V. 9-12

Sometimes we live as if we have a dual personality. This next passages address that issue.

James 3:9-12

9 With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness.

10 Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be.

11 Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring?

12 My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.

We can’t praise and curse. Our trees must produce love, joy, peace, patience not malice and discord. Our talk must be consistent with our walk just as much as our walk should be consistent with our talk.

Our tongue may be tiny but it can get us in a world of trouble. All of us have experienced that a time or two.