WEDNESDAY 23 June 2021 “The Tongue”

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Hello my “Walking with Jesus” friends,

Regardless of your age, you and I live in a world which has in recent years seen the most rapid development, in every area of society, in all of human history. So let me ask this question… what is the most powerful and most dangerous weapon in our world at this time? Is it social media able to turn public opinion so quickly? Is it the atomic bomb? Is it cyber criminal attack on a major corporation or an oil supply chain or the banking system? Is it government spy systems? Is it drugs or alcohol or other addictions? May I suggest that while all of those are very dangerous and powerful, could the MOST dangerous be the human TONGUE! Now think about that for a moment!!

We’re walking along with James, the 1/2 brother of Jesus, as he leads us through the little letter he wrote, in the first century, to Jewish Christians around the known world. That letter has been translated into hundreds of languages and is available now to almost every human being in the world in a language they can understand, either in print or via technology. The letter is found in our Bible and bears the author’s name, James. Listen to how James begins chapter 3: “Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.“ Of course we automatically think of educators in all levels of school, don’t we?

But they are a small percentage of teachers! What about athletic coaches, or parents and grandparents, or pastors and all religious leaders, or politicians or business leaders or anyone teaching someone something they didn’t know? Have you ever considered that God will hold us accountable for EVERYTHING we have ever taught someone else? Teaching, of course, does not have to be formal. Someone saying to another person ‘did you know that…?’ or ‘have you heard…?’ or any such comment awakens in that person a desire to listen to a piece of information, true or not, and that is teaching! Again I ask us to consider that God will hold every person accountable for everything they have ever taught another person! What do you think about that?

Next, James says: “We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what they say, they are a perfect person, able to keep their whole body in check.” (James 3:2) Now ponder that a moment. Do you see James is saying: ‘if you can tame and control your tongue, you can certainly control any other part of your body, including your mind and heart!’? Now what do you think about that? James 3:3,4 talks about horses and ships being directionally controlled by bits and rudders. Amazing isn’t it? Then James writes this: “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. The tongue is also a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of their life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea have been tamed by mankind, but no person can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.” (James 3:5-8)

Oh my that’s a powerful statement by James, isn’t it? Have you found it to be true…in your own life? No doubt each of us has been deeply wounded, many times in our lives, by people who said harsh things, untrue things, critical things, demeaning things, humiliating things to us. If that was done by someone you loved or respected, the wound was especially deep, wasn’t it? Think about this: nothing forms a person’s reputation more than what they say, and how they say it, isn’t that true? That’s why James said: “The tongue corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of their life on fire…” But what about the rest of that line: “…and is itself set on fire by hell.” What do you suppose that means?

On one occasion Jesus was warning people about Satan and those whose lives are strongly influenced by Satan. Jesus said: “You belong to your father the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” (John 8:44) Might this be what James was referring to when he wrote “The tongue corrupts the whole person…and is itself set on fire by hell.”? Have you ever seen someone’s tongue speak such damaging words that it’s as though the fire of hell itself has been poured out? What James wrote is true… we can tame all kinds of animals but left to ourselves, without God’s help, we can’t tame our own tongues! And tongues can do damage beyond repair. Tongues can destroy hopes, dreams, self esteems, and so much more.

Remember I told you James wrote his letter to Jewish Christians, and so listen to what he wrote next: “With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s image. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My friends, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water pour out of the same spring?… (James 3:9-11) Now that’s getting very practical and personal isn’t it friends? What do you think about that? It’s true isn’t it? King Solomon wrote many proverbs about the tongue. Here’s just one example: “The LORD detests lying lips, but He delights in men who are truthful.” (Proverbs 12:22)

Would you agree that our words flow out of our hearts, guided by our minds, thus our words are a reflection of what is deep in our emotions and our intellect. Have you noticed how quickly trust can be broken by a loose or hurtful tongue? Have you noticed repairing the damage the tongue has caused in a moment can take many, many years?

What James has written about the tongue affects every person in the world doesn’t it? When we consider the ‘fruit of the Spirit’, as listed in Galatian 5:22,23, have you noticed how many are related to the tongue? “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control.” Or have you considered the power of Ephesians 4:29? “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouth, but only what is helpful for building one another up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.“ Oh my, there’s a lot in that one short but powerful verse isn’t there?

So it’s time for a self-check? How does the track record of your tongue and mine, fit with James 3:1-12 and all the other Scripture I’ve given you today? Oh, by the way, would you consider everything you write, text, tweet and facetime an extension of your tongue!? Only you have control over your own tongue and each of us is accountable for what we do with our tongue.

Do you see, my friends, that one of the evidences of the presence and influence of the Holy Spirit in a person’s life is that the words and attitudes which they speak are helpful and encouraging to others, and are words that honor God? Conversely, one evidence that a person is NOT living with the presence of the Holy Spirit guiding their lives, is that their tongue is dishonoring to God, wounding of other people, dishonest, critical, prideful etc., do you agree?

Now I think it would do all of us well to spend some time with Jesus, thinking deeply about our tongues and it’s power, but also the track record of our tongue through the past of our lives! As you think of that, what do you sense the Holy Spirit is saying to you about your tongue and it’s potential & power? I invite you to listen to the audio dramatic Bible link of James 3:1-12 below. And then let this song by Fernando Ortega touch your heart as you consider the power of the tongue:

Today’s Scripture is James 3:1-12.

Choose below to read or listen.

Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.

Have a comment or question about today’s chapter? I’m ready to hear from you, contact me here.

Pastor Doug Anderson 262.441.8785
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)

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