The unruly tongue

James 3 speaks a lot about the tongue. The tongue is little but it boasts of great things. James cautions us to be careful in what we say. We cannot unsay unkind or false things. I sure know about that. Typing is usually safer. I have trouble in social situations and certainly fear of speaking badly is one reason.

James 3:2 He says that if we speak well we are perfect. "If a man never makes a slip in what he says he is complete." Perfect usually has a sense of mature and complete, not that one never makes a mistake.

So it is important to be careful what one says.

James has three analogies about the tongue. First is the bit that we put in a horses mouth to guide the horse. With a small piece of metal we can make a 1,000 pound animal go where we wish. Secondly is the rudder. The rudder is not big compared to a large ship. But the captain can guide the ship by directing the rudder this way and that. The third analogy is that of the spark. With a little spark a large fire can be started. Fires can be used for good or can be very destructive.

We can use the tongue to praise or criticize people. Praise is better. God builds us up, we should do likewise. Praise is often hard to do well. At least it is for me.

We can bless or curse (3:10). We can bless God with our tongues. It is appropriate to do that.

But I can identify with the idea spoken here by James and by Jesus too. When I get bitter or angry in my heart it has a tendency to come out of my mouth. It takes a lot of control to keep my lack of contentment from being spewed on others.

Jesus said that it is not what we eat that defiles us it is what we say. It is not what goes into our mouth that makes us unclean, it is what comes out of our mouth in lies and attempts to put people down.

Proverbs 15 goes on in a similar veins.

I love 15:1, it has been a favorite verse of mine. I used to have it posted in my classroom when I taught school: "A soft answer turns away wrath, but a bitter word is a cause of angry feelings."

Knowledge is dropping from the tongue of the wise; but from the mouth of the foolish comes a stream of foolish words. (15:2 BBE)

Kind words are good medicine, but deceitful words can really hurt. (15:4 CEV)

The lips of the wise spread knowledge; not so the hearts of fools. (15:7 ESV)

Read all of Proverbs 15 if you have the time. A word to the wise. Wisdom comes from God and is not the same as knowing facts. Let us seek God and be wise.