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Articles
Handling Fire; James 3
“And the tongue is a fire, the very world of iniquity; the tongue is set among our members as that which defiles the entire body, and sets on fire the course of our life, and is set on fire by hell.” James 3:6
Fire is an amazing gift from God. Not only is fire used to provide warmth and to prepare food, it also holds an inherent beauty that captivates the attention of both young and old. At the same time, fire has the power to bring about great tragedy. How many lives have been ruined by fire’s destructive nature? Considering the power of fire to do both good and evil, it is a fitting analogy used to describe our own tongues that produce speech. If fire must be handled with the utmost caution, should we be any less careful when controlling our tongue?
Your speech directs your behavior (James 3:3-6). Just as the rudder of a ship controls the ship, the tongue can control the body (James 3:4). The things you say have a direct influence on the thoughts that follow. Those thoughts influence your behavior. This is called a “feedback loop.” The words you say are like pieces of railroad track laid out in front of you. This track controls the direction of your “train of thought.” This is why many people practice saying positive affirmations, because your speech has a direct impact on your behavior.
Your speech reveals your heart (James 3:9-12). Just like a spring that produces bitter water is not capable of providing fresh water, a tongue that produces unwholesome talk is not capable of offering the praise God deserves! What you say reveals the type of person you are. Jesus said “the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart” (Matthew 12:34b). As James said earlier, your religion is “worthless” if you cannot control your speech. Your speech must be consistent with the faith you profess. A pure heart produces wholesome speech.
Your speech must be controlled by godly wisdom (James 3:13-18). Without the help of God and His wisdom, you have no hope (James 3:8). The way to bridle your speech is by increasing in godly wisdom. Godly wisdom begins with purity, which positively affects your attitude and your actions (James 3:17). If our speech is determined by the things that fill our heart, then we need to fill our heart with things that are “true… honorable… right… pure… lovely … of good repute… (and) worthy of praise…” (Philippians 4:8).
“But I tell you that every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it in the day of judgment” (Matthew 12:36). The importance of controlling your speech cannot be overstated. Your speech reveals your heart and directs your behavior, and it will have a direct impact on where you spend eternity. Thank God for granting us His wisdom that makes it possible to control our speech.
