The Tongue

In James chapter 3, James shares four truths about the tongue. God is using James to gives us guidelines on how to use our words, our speech.

James 3:1-2

Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. 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. 

First, being able to guard what we say and teaching the truth is a sign of spiritual maturity.

People should not presume or seek to be teachers because if we teach, God holds us to a higher standard because what we say will greatly influence people. Words have great influence.

When people are able to control what they say, they are complete or mature. They are not lacking anything that would hinder them from effectively serving God.

Controlling our speech means we are experiencing the Holy Spirit controlling our whole lives.

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is using our words to influence people toward God based in God’s truth. 

James 3:3-6

When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. Or take a ship 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. 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. 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.

Second, the tongue is a small organ but has great power to direct or destroy. 

James uses two examples of how something small directs something that is much larger.

He uses the example of a bit in the mouth of a horse.

He uses the example of a rudder turning a great ship.

Just as bits and rudders are small yet they direct large and powerful things, the tongue is small but directs and exerts great power.

James then illustrates the destructive power of the tongue by comparing it to a small spark that starts a fire that destroys a forest.

The words we use can be like that destructive fire that destroys.

Careless Words

Hateful Words

Condemning Words

Mean Words

These can all destroy:

Families

Marriages

Churches

Our Own Lives

Words that direct come from God, the Creator.

Words that destroy come from Satan, the Accuser.

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is allowing God to control our words so that they direct people toward Him.

James 3:7-8

All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.

Third, the tongue can be a deadly thing and man cannot control it.

James acknowledges that humanity can control many things.

James says the tongue is not one of those things we can control.

James calls the tongue a restless evil, full of deadly poison.

Jeremiah 17:9 says, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?”

The natural condition of the heart of mankind is deceitful and sick. In other words, the natural condition of the heart is sinful.

Matthew 5:18-19 says, “But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart and this defiles a person. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander.”

What we say flows from what is in our hearts. Notice that several of the sinful things that come from our hearts are word-based things.

The Holy Spirit is the only one who can direct our hearts and thus control our words.

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is the Holy Spirit filling our lives so that what flows out of our hearts and mouths is of God.

James 3:9-12

With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.

Fourth, the tongue can be used to praise God or curse His creation.

James says that people use their words to praise God and these same people use their words to curse people. He says that this should not be the way we live.

James asks two questions:

#1: Can both fresh water and salt flow from the same spring?

#2: Can a fig tree bear olives?

The answer to both is no.

Then he reminds us that a salt water spring cannot produce fresh water.

We dishonor God when we are praising Him but in the next breath cursing something He has created – people.

We as followers of Jesus should exhibit a constant level of godly speech and action. We don’t have to be perfect, but what we say we believe should be evident in what we say, how we say it, what we do, and how we do it.

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is constantly showing the reality of Jesus to the world.

Our tongues are powerful and God has given us the gift of speech so the truth and love of Jesus may be shared. My prayer is that these devotions do that, and that when you read these words, the Holy Spirit uses them to encourage, help and motivate you to draw closer to Jesus. As I saw on the headband of a Brazilian soccer player – 100% Jesus 

By Words That Honor God Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls,

                                                      Joe