JAMES 3
How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! 6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. 7 For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, 8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. 10 From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. 11 Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? 12 Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water.
– James 3:5-12
JAMES 3 THE TONGUE: A RESTLESS EVIL
A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses
A small part of our bodies is so powerful
When it speaks, it can set raging a small fire
Though it is very small in comparison to other parts
It is so mighty that it can bring about life or death
It is a part of the body that no human being can tame
One can train an animal or a beast, but not the tongue
It is a restless evil full of deadly poison
It can bless, flatter or deceive anyone.
James gives us a clear origin of evil. He described it with vivid details that can bring chills to our spine. I love how honest James spotlights the source of many sins that we can commit just by this very small part of our body. The tongue can bless and build up but with that same tongue, it can also destroy and murder someone’s character.
In Mark 7:15, Jesus confronts the Pharisees and tells them this “There is nothing outside a person that by going into him can defile him, but the things that come out of a person are what defile him.” And Jesus further says in verses 20- 23 in this same chapter that “What comes out of a person is what defiles him. 21 For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these things come from within and they defile a person.” This is how James gives us a clear picture that the vehicle for all the sins mentioned in Mark 20-23 are all brought about by the tongue.
How many times have you criticized and belittled someone with your words? How about saying untrue things about someone else that you should have kept to yourself? Did you entice someone to take part in an evil plot using persuasive speech? What about spreading rumors about someone you envied? How many times have you lied to save your reputation or deceived someone so that you can look good to others? Do you now understand how the tongue is a restless evil full of deadly poison?
REFLECTION
· Share some insights when you witnessed the power of the tongue.
