Taming the Tongue: Part 5 - James 3:7-8Written by LaRosa Johnson
Thursday, 21 February 2008
Now that we know that small things are able to achieve great feats and that the tongue is a raging fire, we will now continue our look and expand our view of the tongue and its evil ways. Today we are going to be taking a look at James 3:7-8, which, along with verses 5 & 6, give us the clearest picture at just how evil the tongue can be. Why is it so difficult to control our tongue? Well, we will find out today as we examine the Word of God. If we are in fellowship with the Lord, let us begin our study by reading our passage.
- Quote :
- James 3:7-8 (NASB) - 7 For every species of beasts and birds, of reptiles and creatures of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by the human race. 8 But no one can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil and full of deadly poison.
From reading this passage, we immediately see that there are two things that stand out: 1) humans have been able to tame every animal, since the beginning, and 2) no one has been able to tame the tongue. These are the two items that we are going to look at in-depth, more specifically the second portion, as the first is merely for support and a point of reference.
As we saw in verse 3 of this chapter, a small bit in the mouth of a horse allowed us to tame and control this massive animal; it is this kind of thing that James is talking about. Since the creation, God has given us dominion over creation (some authority we have since lost in the Fall, but that is beside the point), and as a result, we are able to tame all kinds of animals in order to get them to do what we need them to do, from being transportation to plowing a field. It is interesting to note the language used in verse 7 as it carries with it a very important connotation; James states that these animals
are and
have been tamed by the human race. To put in layman's terms, he is stating that this has been the case in the past and continues to be to this day. Taming animals wasn't just something that was done in the past, but it is something that is practiced in the present time and will continue on into the future. This is an important distinction because it allows for the ruling out of the miraculous such as Daniel in the lions den or Jonah being preserved in the great fish, and brings everyday life into focus, which is related to by everyone. Simply put, no matter the animal, from a mouse to an elephant, it has been tamed by humans.
You would think that since we have been able to tame every sort of beast that roams this earth that we would be able to control something as small as the tongue. Unfortunately, this is not the case. As we see in verse 8, no one can tame the tongue, and this goes all the way back to the Fall. Ever since the eating of the forbidden fruit, the human race has been using their tongue for evil deeds, which continue to this very day. There are several implications that come with this very pointed and condemning statement, and they are worth examining. First, we see that there is absolutely nothing that we can do on our own that will allow us to tame our tongue. No matter how hard we might try, we will always come up short in this department. This leads to the second point, the only one who can control the tongue is God Himself. Throughout the course of history, He has been the only one who has been able to speak perfectly, as we see in the life of Jesus Christ. The third point would then be that if we are going to control the tongue, we are going to need the help of God to do so, which is exactly why we have the Holy Spirit working within us. Looking back at James 1:19-22 we can see how this happens; when we become doers of the Word of God and saturate ourselves with it, we begin to take on the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16) and slow our speech so that we are only speaking those things that are acceptable in the sight of a holy and perfect God. So, to reiterate, we must control our tongue, and since we cannot do it on our own, we must rely on the strength of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.
So, what is it that makes the tongue so difficult to tame? The remainder of verse 8 spells out the answer for us; here, we find that the tongue is a restless evil that is full of deadly poison. Let us deal with this in two parts: 1) the tongue being a restless evil, and 2) the tongue being full of deadly poison.
As a parent of three children, I know very well the meaning of restless. You try and try with all of your might to get the kids to calm down and be still, but they cannot help but to get up and move around, no matter how many times you tell them not to; even when they are sitting down, they refuse to sit still, always fidgeting and ready to burst out of their seated position. Now move this metaphor over to the side of wild beasts that have been caged or chained; they cannot wait to be freed from their imprisonment so that they can pounce and devour whatever is in their path. This is a picture of what the tongue is like, especially the latter; it is completely unruly and unable to be controlled, even while caged. To use an example from Thomas Manton, even caged behind a double-barrier of lips and teeth, the tongue still manages to break free and do as it pleases. This is precisely how the tongue operates, it lies in wait for its moment to break free, and as soon as it does it has a field day; so, even when contained, it is always ready for the slightest opportunity for freedom, like a caged animal.
Much worse than a caged animal, the tongue is also full of deadly poison. That is to say, when the tongue has the opportunity to strike, it carries with it the power to poison or kill whatever it strikes. Considering the tongue is in the mouth, the poison also resides in the mouth; this is vastly similar to how many poisonous snakes operate, as they carry their poison in their mouths so that it is ready to be released at a moments notice, without having to travel through the body. Just imagine a poisonous snake for a moment. They strike quickly and their poison is often deadly to its prey, even to humans a lot of times. The tongue operates in the same way, but its poison affects more than just its prey, as it also affects its own body as well. We are affected by the poison of the tongue because we are forced to deal with the consequences of whatever might happen as a result. But not only are we affected, but so are the people who are slandered as a result of our ill-spoken speech, as well as the person to whom the words are spoken; so, at least three people are affected by the poison of the tongue when it strikes. Indeed, it is a deadly evil, and one that must remain caged at all times under the watch of the Holy Spirit. We must be like David in Psalm 39:1 when he said that he would guard his mouth with a muzzle, so as to not sin with his tongue.
As we can see, the tongue holds the power to inflict a great deal of damage to whomever it touches. Not only can we not tame it, but it is a restless and poisonous evil that is ready to strike at a moments notice. It is only through the power of the Holy Spirit within us that we even have a hope of taming our tongue, since we have no hope of doing it on our own. Today, and everyday, let us pray to the Spirit for the strength in Him to control our tongue so that our speech might be pleasant to His ears and that we would not speak any evil towards anyone. Of course we won't be perfect in this, but it is our call to grow in spiritual maturity, and the tongue is one of the most telling areas of how far along we are in our spiritual walk. So, keep your armor on and your mind saturated in His Word!
devotion courtesy of Trailblazin Ministries
http://www.trailblazinministries.com/daily-devotions/02-21-2008.php
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