JAMES 3:1-12
SATURDAY, MAY 5, 2007
THE UNTAMABLE TONGUE
1 My brethren, let not many of you become teachers,
knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment. 2 For we all stumble
in many things. If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a
perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body. 3 Indeed, we put bits
in horses’ mouths that they may obey us, and we turn their whole body. 4
Look also at ships: although they are so large and are driven by fierce
winds, they are turned by a very small rudder wherever the pilot
desires. 5 Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great
things. See how great a forest a little fire kindles! 6 And the tongue
is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our
members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of
nature; and it is set on fire by hell. 7 For every kind of beast and
bird, of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by
mankind. 8 But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil,
full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless our God and Father, and with
it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. 10 Out of
the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things
ought not to be so. 11 Does a spring send forth fresh water and
bitter from the same opening? 12 Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear
olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Thus no spring yields both salt water
and fresh. James 3:1 - 12 (NKJV)
A NOTE FROM RON
- Most of the time I choose--at random--passages from Scripture without
a particular reason. There are times when I feel that God has led me to
choose a passage needed by someone who might use these devotions.
Occasionally, I like to do a series that covers every verse of a Book of
the Bible so that the devotions can also be used as an aid in Bible
Study. Recently I did such a series on the
First Epistle of John.
These can be found in the
ARCHIVES of Prayer and Devotions. I
like to choose Books of the Bible that are less often read and/or
studied. This is the seventh devotion of a series on the Book of James. It
is my hope that these words may be an instrument of God in helping you
to draw nearer to Him.
James shows his deep concern about the damage that can be
done by allowing the tongue to run wild. This is so important that we
must often take a look at the untamable tongue. We can easily understand
why the tongue can be called untamable. We may become angry and want to
hit or kick someone or something, but we usually can hold back. Not so
with the tongue. Almost before we are aware that we are speaking, words
can come flying out of our mouths. These words can be sharp as a dart
piercing into the intended target. Not only is the tongue sharp, but it
is often tainted. Tainted with deceit, with lies, with lust, with
prejudice, with envy, with greed, and with a desire of
self-gratification.
The tongue is so dangerous because it may take only one little word to
bring about great sorrow and or destruction. James compares this with a
spark or a tiny ember that can turn into a fire burning many acres of a
forest. When we have spoken words that have caused harm or have led
people away from God instead of to Him, we often wish that we could take
them back. We didn’t mean to say that. It just slipped out, we say.
We need to admit that the words that come out have had some base from
within us or they would not have flowed so easily. We need to ask
ourselves, can our untamable tongue be tamed? James would answer, Yes.
He would say not only can it be tamed, it must be tamed. The concern
that James has is that those he writes to, as well as you and me, have
counted it Joy when we have gone through trials, have found our
base in Christ, and seek to serve Him, yet our tongues can run wild. He
uses the example of the fig tree and reminds us that the fig tree cannot
produce an olive, only figs. If we have indeed grown in our faith, if we
indeed ask God to be the Lord of our lives, if we pray that we might be
like Him and serve Him, then the only fruit that can come from our lives
is Love. We are told that God’s love can conquer all things; thus it is
only God’s Love abiding in us that can tame the seemingly untamable
tongue.
WE PRAY:
O teach me, Lord, that I may teach
The precious things Thou dost impart;
And wing my words, that they may reach
The hidden depths of many a heart. AMEN.
A SUGGESTION FOR LIVING THE DEVOTION
If you say something to someone that hurts them or is not true, don’t just let it go. Even if it is a day later that you think about it, send a note or talk to that person explaining that you did not mean what you said. Let God’s love overshadow and heal the hurt or misinformation that can come from the untamable tongue.