Compiled By: Lisa K Gonzales
Source: The Life Application Study Bible
1 “Dear brothers and sisters, not many of you should become teachers in the church, for we who teach will be judged by GOD with greater strictness. 2 We all make many mistakes, but those who control their tongues can also control themselves in every other way. 3 We can make a large horse turn around and go wherever we want by means of a small bit in its mouth. 4 And a tiny rudder makes a huge ship turn wherever the pilot wants it to go, even though the winds are strong.” ~ James 3:1-4
Teaching was a highly valued and respected profession in Jewish culture, and many Jews who embraced Christianity wanted to become teachers. James warned that although it is good to aspire to teach, a teacher’s responsibility is great because their words and example affect others’ spiritual lives. If you are in a teaching or leadership role, how are you affecting those you lead?
What we say and what we do not say are both important. To use proper speech we must not only say the right words at the right time but also not say what we shouldn’t. Examples of an untamed tongue include gossiping, putting others down, berating, bragging, manipulating, false teaching, exaggerating, complaining, flattering, and lying. Before we speak, we should ask ourselves: Is what I want to say true? Is it necessary? Is it kind?
5 “So also, the tongue is a small thing, but what enormous damage it can do. A tiny spark can set a great forest on fire. 6 And the tongue is a flame of fire. It is full of wickedness that can ruin your whole life. It can turn the entire course of your life into a blazing flame of destruction, for it is set on fire by hell itself.” – James 3:5-6 – James compares the damage the tongue can do to a ragging fire – the tongue’s wickedness has its source in hell itself. The uncontrolled tongue can do terrible damage. Satan uses the tongue to divide people and pit them against one another. Idle and hateful words are damaging because they spread destruction quickly, and no one can stop the results once they are spoken. We dare not be careless with what we say, thinking we can apologize later, because even if we do, the scars remain. A few words spoken in anger can destroy a relationship that took years to build. Before we speak, we must remember that words are like fire – we can neither control nor reverse the damage they can do.
Father, James tells us in YOUR Word to be slow to speak and slow to anger, yet so many of us are just the opposite – quick to speak and quick to anger. Father, just as the small bit in a horse’s mouth controls where the animal goes, we ask that YOU help us bridle our tongues when it is about to become a raging flame of fire, so that we will use it to build up and not tear down. We know and understand that when we use our tongue to belittle, berate, brag, manipulate, spread false teaching, exaggerate, complain, flatter, and lie – we are turning the entire course of our life into a blazing flame of destruction – set on fire by hell itself. Father GOD, we ask YOU to deliver us from our own destruction!
Photo: My Texas Autumn Sky
Photo By: Lisa K Gonzales
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