The Tongue Is a Fire – James 3:1-12

Joel Osteen was mentioned in the last post.  Is he a false teacher?  He has made remarks in interviews that bring that into question but has retracted them later.  It is safe to say that, if he holds to the biblical faith, he often does not teach the whole faith (especially about suffering in the Christian’s life).  He teaches a lot of wood, hay and straw, which will be burned up in the Christian teacher’s judgment (1 Corinthians 3:10-17).  This is an example of how critical it is that we use our tongues rightly.

Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body. If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things.

How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water. (James 3:1-12, ESV)

Speech is the most obvious and perhaps the most important difference that sets humans apart from the rest of the animal world. It is what enables us to create the way we do, learn the way we do, shape the world the way we do. It springs from a mind made in the image of God. But since our fall into sin it is also the most destructive thing of all when it reflects our proud and unrighteous hearts. Teachers are just an example of those whose words have the power to help or hurt and for which they will be judged. It is the perfect person who is able to always control his or her tongue and we know no perfect people. We all stumble in many ways.

Nevertheless, we are called upon to use our tongues the way God designed us to, to tame our tongues in line with righteousness. Our speech must be consistent in its use, blessing instead of cursing, not showing our faith with praise for God only, but in our dealings with humans made in His image as well. The way we talk will always spring forth from the character of our hearts.

Monitor your tongue today and see just what impact it has, for good or ill, and ask the Lord to help you tame it and use it for His glory.