Yiddish folklore offers a telling tale about our words. One man had told many malicious untruths about the local rabbi that, overcome by remorse, he begged the rabbi to forgive him. "And, Rabbi, tell me how I can make amends." The rabbi sighed, "Take two pillows, go to the public square and there cut the pillows open. Wave them in the air. Then come back." The man quickly went home, got two pillows and a knife, went to the square, cut the pillows open, waved them in the air and then came back to the rabbi's chambers. "I did just what you said, Rabbi!" "Good." The rabbi smiled. "Now, to realize how much harm is done by gossip, go back to the square..." "And?" "And collect all your feathers."-From Hooray for Yiddish (paraphrase)
Words are powerful. We see this theme in James chapter 3 played out. Words are very powerful. They can do great good. I can encourage someone, and their spirits will be lifted. I can pray with someone, and those words will bring life. In fact, in the first book of the Bible, Genesis, we see that God spoke, and the world was made. That’s how powerful words are.
Words can do great good. Indeed, how many of us heard the gospel through spoken words, or someone reading the Bible to us? In fact one of the key ways that I got saved, was I watched this movie over and over called “The Life of Jesus” which was a word for word translation of the gospel of John. I must’ve watched that movie one hundred times, and then one night it finally dawned on me, that Jesus could save me. I need to cry out to Jesus with all my might. Then I did. And the rest is history.
That’s how powerful words and speech are! They can bring great life.
It can also bring great destruction. Think back in your life, to a time when you heard someone say something terrible about you. Maybe it was during middle school or high school. Maybe it was a bully teasing you. Maybe it was a teacher who didn’t like you. Maybe it was even a parent, mom or dad, or a family member, who said terrible things to you. And they probably did that because their parents said the same things to them.
Words can do great harm. They can function like a curse, hanging over our heads, repeating in our minds. If you've been cursed by the words of others, ask Jesus to heal that in you. He will break the curse and silence the repeating lie.
James is going to deal with the issue of how to use our tongue in the right way. But first he’s going to address leaders, verse 1: “Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.”
First word today is addressed to leaders like myself. Not many of you should become teachers because, you will be judged more strictly on judgment day. Why would that be? My job is to teach the word of God, what happens if I teach it wrongly, or let my own biases affect how I teach it? Suddenly the people I serve have a big problem, because they are receiving false teachings.
Everything we’re about to learn is very true for believers, but doubly so for pastors and teachers. How we use our tongues, in regard to teaching, is very serious.
Verse 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."
We as Christians stumble from time to time. What does that mean? We sin, we make mistakes. But, we don’t have to be stuck there. James is making a logical argument here.
We as believers stumble, but we don’t have to fall, and here’s the key. If you can guard what you speak, you will be able to keep your entire system under control.
Wow, that’s astonishing! If I can learn by God’s grace to guard my mouth, the rest of me will fall into line with what I’m speaking. This isn’t really taught but it should be. James is telling us something crucial, it’s huge, if we can control what we say, we can control our whole being.
He expands on this in verses 3-5: "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."
How powerful is the tongue? It’s so powerful, it’s like the bit in the mouth of a horse, or the rudder on a giant ship. It can turn your entire life around, if you use your words correctly.
This is not something easy to do. Our emotions are so powerful, that when we’re upset or disappointed, we begin to speak words that are toxic, and actually drive us further into despair.
When someone makes us angry, we often spew things from our mouth that are so toxic. And those words are establishing a pattern in our life. We are building a road with those words, and often times it’s a road we don’t want to go down. Thankfully, we can turn the ship around and go in a new direction.
Why are our words so important? Think about it. God made the world by speaking it into existence. Jesus is called “the word made flesh.” We are made in God’s image. Just like God has a voice, and when God speaks universes form, similarly, we have a voice similar to that of our Maker’s. And we speak, we create in a limited sense, realities around us for ourselves.
If we speak a hopeful message to ourselves and others, what happens in ourselves over time? That hope we keep speaking becomes our reality.
If we speak the power of faith and God’s word in our lives, what happens over time? That faith and power becomes a reality in our lives.
This is not name it and claim it theology. This is a reality of the power of God’s word, when we speak God’s words back to ourselves and to the world, we change for the better and the world changes for the better.
And when we speak filth and sin, we slide deeper into the mud, and the world slides deeper into sin.
Our words are powerful to move us quickly in a good or bad direction. It’s like how a single spark from a camp fire or lightning can start a small fire. And soon that fire spreads, and it gets larger. Soon it’s 1 foot wide, then 10 feet wide, and pretty soon, the whole acre is on fire. That is the power of the words you speak.
Next, verses 6-8: "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.
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."
James takes us to the worst possible end of the conduct of the tongue, if we don’t control what we say, and just let it rip, the tongue will corrupt our entire being, setting the course of our lives on fire, burning like the fires of hell itself.
We all know someone like this and it’s ugly. We want to stay away from that person because they pour out negativity and gossip and slander and hatred.
All sorts of animals James tells us have been domesticated, I have two cats and a dog, but, who can tame the tongue? It is a great challenge. It is full of deadly poison. An animal can be slowly trained, domesticated, but, to domesticate the tongue is too much for a mere human.
Next, we’re going to see how it is probably with many of us.
Verses 9-12: "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."
For many of us we’ve avoided being that toxic person whose tongue is burning with the fires of hell.
We use our tongue to praise our Heavenly Father, and the Lord Jesus. We use our tongue to encourage other believers.
James is going to deal with the issue of how to use our tongue in the right way. But first he’s going to address leaders, verse 1: “Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.”
First word today is addressed to leaders like myself. Not many of you should become teachers because, you will be judged more strictly on judgment day. Why would that be? My job is to teach the word of God, what happens if I teach it wrongly, or let my own biases affect how I teach it? Suddenly the people I serve have a big problem, because they are receiving false teachings.
Everything we’re about to learn is very true for believers, but doubly so for pastors and teachers. How we use our tongues, in regard to teaching, is very serious.
Verse 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."
We as Christians stumble from time to time. What does that mean? We sin, we make mistakes. But, we don’t have to be stuck there. James is making a logical argument here.
We as believers stumble, but we don’t have to fall, and here’s the key. If you can guard what you speak, you will be able to keep your entire system under control.
Wow, that’s astonishing! If I can learn by God’s grace to guard my mouth, the rest of me will fall into line with what I’m speaking. This isn’t really taught but it should be. James is telling us something crucial, it’s huge, if we can control what we say, we can control our whole being.
He expands on this in verses 3-5: "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."
How powerful is the tongue? It’s so powerful, it’s like the bit in the mouth of a horse, or the rudder on a giant ship. It can turn your entire life around, if you use your words correctly.
This is not something easy to do. Our emotions are so powerful, that when we’re upset or disappointed, we begin to speak words that are toxic, and actually drive us further into despair.
When someone makes us angry, we often spew things from our mouth that are so toxic. And those words are establishing a pattern in our life. We are building a road with those words, and often times it’s a road we don’t want to go down. Thankfully, we can turn the ship around and go in a new direction.
Why are our words so important? Think about it. God made the world by speaking it into existence. Jesus is called “the word made flesh.” We are made in God’s image. Just like God has a voice, and when God speaks universes form, similarly, we have a voice similar to that of our Maker’s. And we speak, we create in a limited sense, realities around us for ourselves.
If we speak a hopeful message to ourselves and others, what happens in ourselves over time? That hope we keep speaking becomes our reality.
If we speak the power of faith and God’s word in our lives, what happens over time? That faith and power becomes a reality in our lives.
This is not name it and claim it theology. This is a reality of the power of God’s word, when we speak God’s words back to ourselves and to the world, we change for the better and the world changes for the better.
And when we speak filth and sin, we slide deeper into the mud, and the world slides deeper into sin.
Our words are powerful to move us quickly in a good or bad direction. It’s like how a single spark from a camp fire or lightning can start a small fire. And soon that fire spreads, and it gets larger. Soon it’s 1 foot wide, then 10 feet wide, and pretty soon, the whole acre is on fire. That is the power of the words you speak.
Next, verses 6-8: "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.
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."
James takes us to the worst possible end of the conduct of the tongue, if we don’t control what we say, and just let it rip, the tongue will corrupt our entire being, setting the course of our lives on fire, burning like the fires of hell itself.
We all know someone like this and it’s ugly. We want to stay away from that person because they pour out negativity and gossip and slander and hatred.
All sorts of animals James tells us have been domesticated, I have two cats and a dog, but, who can tame the tongue? It is a great challenge. It is full of deadly poison. An animal can be slowly trained, domesticated, but, to domesticate the tongue is too much for a mere human.
Next, we’re going to see how it is probably with many of us.
Verses 9-12: "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."
For many of us we’ve avoided being that toxic person whose tongue is burning with the fires of hell.
We use our tongue to praise our Heavenly Father, and the Lord Jesus. We use our tongue to encourage other believers.
And then at certain moments, we slip into gossiping about someone. We’re praying one moment, then something makes us angry and we let out a series of curses.
We struggle between pure words of the Spirit and sinful outbursts.
This is a common battle. But we also don’t have to stay stuck here. We can have victory over the tongue. James tells us it shouldn’t stay this way, can a salt spring produce fresh water? Can the dead sea produce fresh water? It’s not logical.
This is where we need to seek God’s help, and pray, and let the Holy Spirit convict us. This is where we need to turn to Jesus Christ, and let our savior provide the power. This is where we need to consecrate, (surrender) our tongue into the hands of Jesus. Repentance is key here too. Pray, and repent. Confess the tongue issue, and turn it over.
In the last few verses today, James is going to show us what it means for the tongue to be controlled, and how it can be controlled. The answer might surprise you. It’s not try harder. It’s not feel sadder. It's not surrender more thoroughly.
It’s something, or someone, called Wisdom. The Spirit of Wisdom, in particular. The Spirit of Wisdom is mentioned in Ephesians:
"I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.” -Ephesians 1:17
We find out here as well that we can pray and ask for the Spirit of wisdom. The spirit of wisdom is also mentioned in Isaiah 11:2.
We can’t control our tongues on our own. But, if we call on God, and learn the word, and walk closely with Jesus, we may ask for Wisdom. And Wisdom will come and be with us, and be a guide and a guard to our tongues.
So many times I don’t know what to say, or what to do, but the Spirit of wisdom guides me. Wisdom in scripture, in Proverbs and the New Testament is not simply a concept, but a person. As I learn the concept of wisdom in scripture, this is good, but ultimately, what I’m seeking is God’s presence as the source of wisdom. This wisdom is then not simply a concept, but a divine person.
The answer to the fire of hell that is the tongue is to learn to speak life yes, that’s true, but more so, it’s to learn to abide so closely with Jesus, and His word, that together, the Spirit and the word combine and they guard our tongue together.
The goal is that our mind and heart would know (mind) and love (heart) the word. Just as much, we are then in relationship with God, not just the word, but the God described in the word. Then, with word of God in us, and the God of the Bible with us, the Spirit of wisdom is present as well, and then, we are mighty in our God. We’ve done our part to love the living God, and to love His word, and the Spirit does His part by being present and the voice in our life.
Then we have Wisdom.
Next, verse 13: "Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom."
James immediately goes to application, if you’ve given your tongue to the Spirit, and it’s under control, you are wise, but now show your wisdom through living a good life, good deeds, and those deeds done in humility.
Where does that humility come from? Again, it flows out of wisdom in your life.
Next verses 14-16: "But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. 15 Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. 16 For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.”
Many of us may think we have wisdom, and to some extent we do, but very quickly we find we’re actually harboring bitter envy, which is to be angry about someone having something we don’t, or desiring someone’s position.
That isn’t easy to admit. So we hide it and say it’s wisdom. But it’s not. Similarly, selfish ambition, so very common, we long to be important, to be rich, to be the great teacher who everyone listens to, to be famous, to be popular, and this is not wisdom, it is evil.
I confess I’ve been in bitter envy, envious of fellow pastors who have more influence, more power, more money, I repent of that.
I confess I’ve been in selfish ambition, wanting to be important, wanting to the best writer, wanting to be the public figure, wanting to be in charge, the Lord has forgiven me.
These two attitudes, bitter envy and selfish ambition are very common in ministry. If you struggle with it, ask for God’s help, confess it, and turn away from it. God will help you be free from these bitter desires.
These things James brings up because they often masquerade as wisdom. They fake wisdom, because selfish ambition wants to be important, and bitter envy wants what others have. But you’ll be able to see through the false wisdom, to the truth of the person behind it, by their fruits you’ll know them.
So what is true wisdom? What does it look like? How can we recognize it?
Lastly, verses 17-18: "But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. 18 Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.”
When we allow the Spirit of Christ, which is the Spirit of Wisdom to rest on us, and reign in us, we will see the following fruits appear flowing from our tongues: purity, peace, consideration of others, submissiveness, mercy, good fruit, impartiality, sincerity, and peace
This kind of person is in fact a peacemaker. They have planted with their tongue, by the leading of the Spirit of Wisdom many beautiful seeds within themselves, seeds are those things we speak over our lives that are good. And we plant them, and we keep watering them by speaking them over and over, scripture, declarations, decrees, faithful sayings, psalms, proverbs, blessings, they are sown in peace and later, weeks, months, years later, a great harvest of righteousness appears.
Beautiful fruits will flow from our tongues:
Then we have Wisdom.
Next, verse 13: "Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom."
James immediately goes to application, if you’ve given your tongue to the Spirit, and it’s under control, you are wise, but now show your wisdom through living a good life, good deeds, and those deeds done in humility.
Where does that humility come from? Again, it flows out of wisdom in your life.
Next verses 14-16: "But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. 15 Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. 16 For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.”
Many of us may think we have wisdom, and to some extent we do, but very quickly we find we’re actually harboring bitter envy, which is to be angry about someone having something we don’t, or desiring someone’s position.
That isn’t easy to admit. So we hide it and say it’s wisdom. But it’s not. Similarly, selfish ambition, so very common, we long to be important, to be rich, to be the great teacher who everyone listens to, to be famous, to be popular, and this is not wisdom, it is evil.
I confess I’ve been in bitter envy, envious of fellow pastors who have more influence, more power, more money, I repent of that.
I confess I’ve been in selfish ambition, wanting to be important, wanting to the best writer, wanting to be the public figure, wanting to be in charge, the Lord has forgiven me.
These two attitudes, bitter envy and selfish ambition are very common in ministry. If you struggle with it, ask for God’s help, confess it, and turn away from it. God will help you be free from these bitter desires.
These things James brings up because they often masquerade as wisdom. They fake wisdom, because selfish ambition wants to be important, and bitter envy wants what others have. But you’ll be able to see through the false wisdom, to the truth of the person behind it, by their fruits you’ll know them.
So what is true wisdom? What does it look like? How can we recognize it?
Lastly, verses 17-18: "But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. 18 Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.”
When we allow the Spirit of Christ, which is the Spirit of Wisdom to rest on us, and reign in us, we will see the following fruits appear flowing from our tongues: purity, peace, consideration of others, submissiveness, mercy, good fruit, impartiality, sincerity, and peace
This kind of person is in fact a peacemaker. They have planted with their tongue, by the leading of the Spirit of Wisdom many beautiful seeds within themselves, seeds are those things we speak over our lives that are good. And we plant them, and we keep watering them by speaking them over and over, scripture, declarations, decrees, faithful sayings, psalms, proverbs, blessings, they are sown in peace and later, weeks, months, years later, a great harvest of righteousness appears.
Beautiful fruits will flow from our tongues:
- Peace-loving
- Considerate
- Submissive
- Full of Mercy
- Good Fruit
- Impartial
- Sincere
