In James chapter three, verses five and following, James gives us a reminder about that small, but important part of our anatomy, the tongue. James mentions it in connection with our teaching. However, there are many ways in which we can use, or misuse, our tongues today, as everyone already knows by their own experiences in life. There are many common ways that we may misuse our tongues, and James notes several ways in which he describes the tongue.
He compares it to our putting a small bit in a horses’ mouth by which we turn a horse around. He says that the same is true when we put a small rudder on a large ship to turn it around. Now, note the similarities when the tongue is used. The tongue can be like that fire that can destroy. The tongue can defile the whole body. The tongue can have great power. It is being described as “being set on fire by Hell.” James continues to say that every animal in the world can be tamed by man. However, that small tongue, by which we utter words from our mouths, simply cannot be tamed. That is why we have to do our best to keep it under control.
We can do far more damage with it if we are careless in what we say to others and if we use it improperly around others. According to James, we can utter both blessing and cursing with it. That being true, then, we ought to think twice before we use it in order to keep ourselves out of trouble with family, fellow Christians, friends, anyone with whom we talk, and God, Himself! It is just too easy to sin with the tongue! And, that is why we must use due diligence in keeping our tongues under our control.
Think about it and use caution in using your tongue! Food for thought: Everyone knows that in wood-work that you always “measure twice and cut once.” Would that not be a good practice in our speech? That is, to think twice and speak once?
Think about it!
Kevin Williams
