Robert Fulghum in his book, All I Really Need To Know I Learned In Kindergarten said "Sticks and stones may break our bones, but words will break our hearts." Someone else said,

Much evil grows out of unguarded speech. With words we may blaspheme God, tell lies on an innocent person, corrupt the morals of others, cheat and defraud, and lead people into destructive errors. Guard your speech, or you may thoughtlessly use hurtful words. It is easy to talk, but not so easy to escape the consequences of what we say.

James says this of the tongue,

And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell. For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind. But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so. Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening? Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh. James 3:6-12

In this text, James discusses this subject by observing three kinds of tongues.

1.  A TONGUE THAT CONSUMES. James 3:6,8

The unrestrained tongue consumes like a fire (v.6) and like a deadly poison (v.8).  The unrestrained tongue consumes in three areas:

A.  The unrestrained tongue consumes the home. How many families have been torn apart? How many families are not speaking one to another because of what has been said by the tongue. Many words are said in anger that would be taken back if only it were possible. We would do well to develop the habit of closing our mouths firmly when we are angry, "I said, "I will guard my ways, Lest I sin with my tongue; I will restrain my mouth with a muzzle…" (Psalm 39:1.) A wise man wrote,

It doesn’t pay to say too much
When you’re mad enough to choke:
For the word that stings the deepest
Is the word that’s never spoke.

Let the other fellow wrangle
Till the storm has blown away,
Then he’ll do a heap o’ thinking
"Bout the things you didn’t say.

Solomon would remind us, 

"A soft answer turns away wrath, But a harsh word stirs up anger" Proverbs 15:1

 

B.  The unrestrained tongue consumes the house of God. 

It consumes through false teachings. James discussed the power and evil of the unrestrained tongue in a section that began with a direct address to those who were aspiring to be teachers in the church. It may be that one of the problems existing in the church was that of teachers who were using their tongues to teach false doctrines. Albert Barnes said, " If anywhere the improper use of the tongue will do mischief, it is in the office of a religious teacher…"

It also consumes the house of God through faulty treatment of brethren. Paul would say, "But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another" (Galatians 5:15.)

We treat our brethren wrong when we lie to them. The Psalmist likened the effects of lying tongues to "coals of juniper" (Psalm 120:2-4) which were known for providing a hot fire. As a fire destroys the possessions and sometimes the lives of people, so the lying tongue destroys the reputations and sometimes the lives of innocent people. Let us teach the world that "lying lips are an abomination to the Lord" (Proverbs 12:22, Prov. 6:16-18.)

We treat our brethren wrong when we create and foster strife and slander them (Psalms 15:3; Proverbs 10:18; 26:20,21; Titus 3:9.)

We treat our brethren wrong when we engage in gossip. Frank Clark said, "Gossip need not be false to be evil—there’s a lot of truth that shouldn’t be passed around" The following statement may serve to enlighten us on this important subject.

Oh that entire congregations of God’s people would read this third chapter of James and tremble. Countless are the broken hearts and broken lives that are left in the wake of a poisonous tongue. How many ministers have ceased to preach, driven to despair by the loose tongues of those who should be on the Lord’s side? How many thousands have been driven from the assembly of God’s people in shame and disgust over slander and tale-bearing? How many churches have been split asunder by the everlasting venom of poisonous tongues? (Donald Fream, A Chain of Jewels From James and Jude, p.127)

 

Death and life are in the power of the tongue… Proverbs 18:21

But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned. Matthew 12:36,37

And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them. Romans 1:28-32

But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death. Revelation 21:8

 

2.  A TONGUE THAT MUST BE CONSTANTLY GUARDED. James 3:7,8

James used three illustrations (the bit in a horses’ mouth (v.3); the rudder on a ship (v.4); a fire (v.5)) to teach a single lesson—the power of little things. The Christian must realize that God expects us to control our speech (James 1:26; 3:10). We may not be able to tame the tongue, but we can learn to control it. We must control and constantly guard our speech because the tongue poses a threat to our spiritual safety. When we go to the doctor, it is not uncommon for him to say, "Stick out your tongue." The doctor can tell a lot about our physical condition by looking at our tongue. We can also tell a lot about our spiritual health by looking at our tongues, or at least by our use of them. No one else can guard our lips (Psalm 141:3; Psalm 19:14). If there is a problem with the mouth, one needs to investigate the source—the heart (Matthew 12:34; Psalm 19:14). ""Language is the expressions of man’s thoughts and a revelation as to whether he is dominated by self-will or by obedience to God’s will" (Beacon Bible Commentary pp. 223,224). We need to practice the sentiments of the song "Angry Words" by H.R Palmer.

Angry words! O let them never
From the tongue unbridled slip;
May the heart’s best impulse ever
Check them ere they soil the lip.

Love is much too pure and holy,
Friendship is too sacred far,
For a moments reckless folly
Thus to desolate and mar.

Angry words are lightly spoken,
Bitt’rest tho’ts are rashly stirred,
Brightest links of life are broken
By a single angry word.

3.  A TONGUE THAT CURSES. James 3:9-12

James shows the power and evil of an unrestrained tongue in the area of blessing and cursing. He included himself in the warning to stress the necessity of care in this area (James 3:9 – "we"). He invoked a brotherly term to get their attention (James 3:10,12—"My brethren" Our relationship with one another should help us guard against cursing our fellow-man. He instructed them by returning to God’s natural order. Things bring forth after their kind (Gen. 1:11). The fig and the olive teach the same truth, "As is the root, so will be the fruit" (Beacon Bible Commentary p. 224 Heb.-Rev.) Nature is consistent, unfortunately man is not always so. There are no natural two-fruited trees; but there are two-faced men. May God help us not to be spiritual Dr. Jekylls and Mr. Hydes. "These things ought not so to be"

May we ever be aware of the power and evil of the unrestrained tongue and take precautions in our lives ( Proverbs 18:21). The only control for the tongue is a heart that is right with God. The following lines are a fitting conclusion to this lesson.

Before you speak, make it pass three gates of gold: 
Three narrow gates.  
First, "Is it true?" Then, "Is it needful?"
In your mind give truthful answer.
And the next is last and narrowest, "Is it kind?"
And to reach your lips at last
It passes these gateways three,
Then you may tell the tale, nor fear
What the result may be. (Beth Day)

Mike Gurganus
PO Box 916
Henderson, NC 27536