Now if we put
the bits into the horses' mouths so that they will obey us, we direct their
entire body as well. Look at the ships also, though they are so great and are
driven by strong winds, are still directed by a very small rudder wherever the
inclination of the pilot desires. So also the tongue is a small part of the
body, and yet it boasts of great things. See how great a forest is set aflame
by such a small fire! James 3:3-5
The tongue is the
strongest muscle in entire body. A
damaging word spoken in secret is much like a chigger bite…you can't see the
damage until it gets serious.
The tongue is the
connecting link between the inner man and the outer world. For
the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart. Matthew 12:34 It expresses the thoughts,
mind, attitude, and intentions of man. It can reveal the true nature of man
whether transformed or unrighteous.
"Guard
well thy tongue it stretches far, for what you say tells who you are."
The Tongue’s Evil is Deep and Wide
In the passage above James dwells on the potential for
evil rather than the potential for good with one's tongue. He adopts a new image appropriate for his
topic: fire. The effect of this choice of image can be shown by comparing it to
another possible image.
·
If
he had compared the tongue to an ax, he could have portrayed quite vividly a
destruction of a large tree by a small tool.
·
Instead
of such an isolated act of destruction however, James chose to portray a
spreading destruction. An ax destroys
one tree at a time; but with our tongues one word can start a destructiveness
that spreads beyond the initial act.
It is
true that someone who is hateful with their tongue will be hateful with other
aspects of their behavior. If we do not discipline and purify our speech, we
will not discipline or purify the rest of our life.
James 3 says the uncontrolled tongue…
1.
…is a world of
evil--a whole
world of wrongdoing and wickedness, a vast system of iniquity. The phrase
implies a multitude of forms that our impure speech may take.
2.
…corrupts the
whole person--an
image of a staining and defiling spread of sin from wicked speech into all
other behavior. The contrasting pattern, using the same term in the form of a
negative adjective, was in 1:27--keeping oneself unstained or unpolluted by the
world.
3.
…sets on fire
the course of one's life-- depicts the tongue's wickedness as a conflagration spreading through
the time span of one's life as well as the diversity of one's behavior.
4.
…is itself set
on fire by hell --
the same verb that described the action by the tongue is applied now in passive
voice to expose the true origin of the tongue's blazing power to destroy. James
picks up the term gehenna ("hell"). It is hard to imagine a more
condemning way to conclude this description of the uncontrolled tongue
While most people are careful to guard their behavior,
few really understand the great power of speech. There is nothing “innocent” about words. Satan has destroyed more with the tongues of
men than anything else. We do well to
pay attention to our speech.
Scripture to Claim:
And the tongue is a fire, the very world of
iniquity; the tongue is set among our members as that which defiles the entire
body, and sets on fire the course of our life, and is set on fire by hell. James 3:6
