The tongue

James 3:2, 5-6, 8-10 (NIV)

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…….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…. but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.  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. 

James 3:1-12 is a classic biblical analysis of the influence (v 1-5), iniquity (v 6-8) and inconsistency (v 9-12) of the tongue (our words and speech).  If you can control your tongue, you are perfect (mature) and able to control your whole bodily actions as well.  However, you are never sinless as the Bible is clear that we all stumble in many ways, especially with how we use our tongues. 

Your words have great power in that they can become very dangerous if used wrongly.  James 3:6-8 says that the tongue, if used wrongly has the power to defile your whole body, devour (set on fire) everything in your life and can be like poison.  Out-of-control words are like a forest fire.  What is the source of evil speech when a tongue is on fire?  Hell!  The tongue can be a restless evil in that it easily can burst out of control.  Think about what angry words do to your nervous system, blood pressure, and acid content of your stomach?  Angry words can definitely poison your body and ruin your health.

What happens when you gossip?  Proverbs 16:28 says that “gossip separates the best of friends”.  What happens when you curse?  Psalm 109:17 says that you will be cursed in return.  Indeed James 3:9-10 points out how incredible it is that you can bless with words one minute and curse the next.  What happens when you complain?  Psalm 106:25 says that it can lead to disobedience. 

There are other faulty uses of the tongue—lying, exaggeration, unkindness, even simply talking too much.  What faulty uses of the tongue bother you the most?  What is your greatest fault in the improper use of your speech to others?  Do you use your tongue constructively, e.g. words of encouragement, love, comfort, sound advice, talking about the Lord?  Or are most of your words negative, harsh, perverted, evil? 

Leroy Koopman wrote a 1972 book entitled “Beauty Care for the Tongue”.  It is your tongue that determines whether or not you are a beautiful person.  Your tongue will make or break your marriage.  Your tongue will leave a lasting impression on others.  Your tongue either will honor God or curse Him.  You cannot control your tongue on your own, it takes the superhuman work of the Holy Spirit to enable your words to become a thing of beauty.  A beautiful tongue is silent most of the time, simple, appreciative, clean, kind, does not gossip, truthful, content, and a witness for Christ.  

“The heart of a fool is in his mouth, but the mouth of a wise man is in his heart.  A slip of the foot you may soon recover, but a slip of the tongue you may never get over”—Benjamin Franklin