James 3:1-5 – The tongue needs to be tamed

The tongue is a small piece of muscular tissue in the mouth but it has great potential for evil. The danger is not so much in the tongue per se but in its spiritual connection. It will either bring blessing or curses, good or evil. No wonder Jesus told us that it is not what goes in that defiles a man. It is what comes out of the man that defiles him. It is out of the abundance of the heart that a man speaks. Echoing the Lord’s sentiment, James picked up the topic here and dealt on the danger of the misuse of the tongue. 

In verse 1, James urged a person desiring to teach to give careful consideration to his desire. As glamorous as a teacher’s position may be, the responsibility is heavy. This role calls for a greater accountability. Unless the motive of a teacher is pure, what comes out of the mouth may soil the lives of his listeners. The words that come forth from a teacher could validate or invalidate a person. Speech is powerful influence in teaching. 

In verse 2, the word “stumble” means to sin or to offend. Here, James said that human tendency is to offend or sin in many ways. He rightly said that the hardest part for a person to control is his tongue, hence, his speech. Only a person who is spiritually mature can bridle or control his tongue. Therefore, speech is a great key to measure a person’s spirituality.

In proportion to a man’s body, the tongue of a person is comparatively very much smaller. It, however, has the capacity to direct the course that the person would take. Using two illustrations in verses 3-4, James proved his point. The horse is a huge mammal often weighing up to half a ton, but a little bit placed on the tongue will enable a jockey to determine where it should go. Similarly, a small rudder attached to the back of a huge ship can determine its course. In much the same way, the direction and course of one’s life can be determined by the activities of that little tongue in one’s mouth.   

James insisted that though the tongue may be small, it boasts of great evil.  Like a little spark that can create a fire that would set a forest ablaze, so also the tongue can construct a destructive condition in the instance of a moment. James’ whole purpose is to call us to bridle or control the tongue. Every one of us has to some extent, control and harness some aspect of our lives. There is no denial that taming of the tongue is the hardest to do. But hard as it may be, we must do all we can to tame it. With the help of God, let’s give it our best shot!