James 3:1-12 Taming the Tongue
3 Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. 2 We all stumble in many ways. Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect, able to keep their whole body in check.
3 When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. 4 Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. 5 Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. 6 The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.
7 All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, 8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.
9 With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. 10 Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. 11 Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? 12 My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.
Reflection
James is a practical person whose writing is full of descriptive, helpful images. In this passage about wise speech, he talks about training horses, steering ships, sparking forest fires, taming animals, testing springs of water, and comparing fruit trees. The variety of images here helps us to explore the importance of wise speech from several angles.
Perhaps you have noticed how even a simple phrase that’s out of order or misunderstood in a conversation or on social media can bring a painful and immediate backlash that breaks trust and disrupts relationships. It’s like a great forest fire that’s ignited by a small but poorly timed spark. Sometimes it may feel safer to say nothing at all in order to steer clear of trouble, but the message in James is that our pure speech is needed to create Christlike community.
Forestry experts will sometimes say that a forest fire can be necessary—to break seed pods open and to feed soil with the nutrients of ashes. Big, difficult conversations can also be necessary at times, but we still need to be wise. Our speech shouldn’t be about building up our own reputation as clever critics or about taking sides and being divisive. The only way to know what really needs to be said is to remain rooted and connected to Christ through the Spirit and the Word.
Lord, it can be hard to know what to say sometimes. There’s so much controversy and pain in the world, and we don’t want to make things worse by saying the wrong thing. Help us to know how and when to speak so that our words can bring peace and healing. Amen.
The name above all names is here. He invites you by name to sit with him, so that here, in this his body, as his creatures in his world, you may know you have your own special place.Your name is on his lips. Let his name transform your life.Come to hear the words he speaks; words of life and love and hope.Come to know his blessing and to praise him as he deserves, the Word of life, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
We raise our voices in song and prayer to worship you, our Lord. You who are the word of life, come and breathe into the words we speak and bring alive the Scriptures for us, that we may hear your voice, see your will for this world and everyone in it. So may we also let you touch our hearts, our minds, our spirits by your grace, filling us with your love, and in your strength give us the desire to love one another as you have loved us. This we ask in the name of Christ. Amen.
Great and gracious God, the mountains and hills are yours, the seas and the lochs are yours, the heavens above and the earth below are yours. We praise you, creator God, for all that your hands have made. We rejoice in the sights and sounds around us, in the sunshine and the rain, in the warmth of the day and the cool of the evening. We praise you for all we glimpse of you day by day, and for the glimpse of you there is – even in us. Hallelujah! Amen.
Suggested Listening God who made the earth https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cpVJ0lFYh4Y I, the Lord of sea and sky https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zr9SMm1glI Lord, for the years https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cd14v0e1RWU
