Tongue Power

by Lynn Yates

James 3:1-12

While Family Feud was a fun game show, it does give us pause to consider our spiritual walk in this context. “Name the worst thing you can do with your mouth?” Eat sushi, Yell, lie, bite … Cruel words? What is the best thig you can do with your tongue? Kiss, Praise, encourage … Name your greatest regrets? Many of the answers will be related to words.

In fact, Scripture has much to say about how we use our tongues (language, communication), Proverbs abounds with good and bad uses of the tongue. Over 120 verses alone speak to the use of the tongue. For example:

• Matt 15: 11 “What goes into someone’s mouth does not defile them, but what comes out of their mouth, that is what defiles them.”
• Eph 4:29 “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.”
• Psalms 39:1 – I said, “I will watch my ways and keep my tongue from sin; I will put a muzzle on my mouth while in the presence of the wicked.”

James continues with his instruction to the Christian diaspora after giving guidance on their response to trials (joy), what their faith should look like (through works) and how to treat people without favoritism. James continues with a warning to teachers (the role of teaching in the body) that they are held to a higher standard. In fact perfection (maturity) and self control especially with regard to the tongue. Of interest in this passage (3:1-12) is the focus on the power of the tongue. Greek – tongue, speech or language. Hebrew לָשׁוֹן (lashone).

Heb 5:11-12 – all should be maturing to the level of teachers in maturity

When are any of us called to teach? Parents, leaders, bosses, Uncles and aunts.

James talks of small things that are powerful, Bits or bridles in the horse’s mouth. This works to guide or direct the animal because it is uncomfortable or painful. The horse turns head and then the body follows. Ship’s rudder can turn the large ship. This works to cause resistance on one side and pushes the rear of the ship. 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. The tongue is also small yet powerful. So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. Leads armies, destroys beauty, Ultimately Satan declares himself God.

Small spark starts a destructive fire. Pictured are the hills behind my son’s apartment in Hollywood hills. Currently consuming forests near Myrtle Beach. Fire is the great destroyer, ultimately the inferno of Hell. And the renewal of earth. The tongue is likened to it, words act like a consuming fire in the course of life, Fire is also the great refiner necessary for purifying metals, as trials refine our lives. As the breaking of the old man (outer man) allows the inner man (the spirit of God) to be revealed.

All great forces have good and harmful uses. Rain brings crop growth and floods, Fire heats in the cold and destroys when not controlled. Lightening can kill and start fires but also bring nitrogen to the soil. Wild animals are tames, but we cannot control our tongue. Slips of the tongue betray, destroy, damage, bring death. Every war or divorce or fractured relationship can be traced to the misuse of the tongue at some point. We can’t control it – it is our old nature sitting ready to be released every time we take our eyes off Jesus. It can be a leaking poison that ultimately kills.

Jesus said that out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. Cutting out our tongues could, in fact, help us control what we say. We couldn’t say anything. With our words, we couldn’t slander, gossip, lie, boast, etc. But it would leave our hearts unchanged. We could then still use our body language, gestures, or writing to do those very things. Much can be communicated through a glare. Our scripture reading again – replace the natural evil tendencies with fruit of the spirit. We can’t just stop something, we must yield the to the transformation by the Spirit.

The root of the problem is our sinful heart. We are sinful people. The key is to let our hearts be regenerated, renewed and be clean, like David prayed to God to create in him a clean heart. If we don’t have the desire to lie, we won’t. If we don’t want to harm people through slander, we won’t. Yet we still must learn to control our tongues for two reasons: Colossians 3:8-10 – But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.

Next Steps

• Firstly, Yield to the Spirit -there are still remnants of our old nature left. Some wrong desires are still there. Temptations rise up. We need first to not say the wrong thing, then confess the thought to the Lord and move on. If you speak it out, the problem will often grow. One lie will bring another, which will bring two, and then three more. When you start to argue, it is tough to stop. The other person will likely respond in kind, and then you will respond in anger, and the issue will grow. The solution is to stop it at the beginning. The root of the problem is our sinful heart. We are sinful people. The key is to let our hearts be regenerated, renewed and be clean, like David prayed to God to create in him a clean heart. If we don’t have the desire to lie, we won’t. If we don’t want to harm people through slander, we won’t. Yet we still must learn to control our tongues for two reasons:
• Secondly, our tongues are very fast. Sometimes they act before our mind can really evaluate what we are saying. This is often the case with jokes or ridiculing others. In this situation, we need to apply James 1:19 and be quick to listen and slow to speak.
• Thirdly, Pray continually and be kind to others – especially loved ones. They watch for the confirmation of the truth that lives with in us. May be be that light on a hill.