The Power of the Tongue

The Power of the Tongue Following BRP – the book of James

If you are following our year long BRP on the New Testament, we are currently in the book of James. It’s the last quarter. Let’s target to finish the New Testament by the end of this year.

More than just reading the bible, we want to also reflect on the Word and apply it into our lives. That’s why in this CG we want to study and passage in the book of James.

Background on the book of James.

It is most probable and widely accepted that the author of this book, was James the brother of Jesus. And he wrote it to the Christian Jews of that time. As the audience were Christians, one main theme that is in the book of James was spiritual maturity.

So here in , we see one criteria for spiritual maturity. James teaches us about the power of the tongue.

THE POWER OF THE TONGUE

The power of speech is one of the greatest powers God has given us. With the tongue, man can praise God, pray, preach the Word, and lead the lost to Christ. What a privilege and a power that God has given to us! However, with that same tongue we can also tell lies, break a person’s heart, or gossip.

The ability to speak words is the ability to influence others and accomplish tremendous tasks, we cannot take this ability for granted.

3 Indeed, we put bits in horses’ mouths that they may obey us, and we turn their whole body. 4 Look also at ships: although they are so large and are driven by fierce winds, they are turned by a very small rudder wherever the pilot desires. 5 Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things. See how great a forest a little fire kindles! 6 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. 7 For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind. 8 But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. 10 Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so. 11 Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening? 12 Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh.

James 3:3–12 NIV

When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.

James 3:3–12 NIV

3 When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. 4 Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. 5 Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. 6 The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. 7 All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, 8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. 10 Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. 11 Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? 12 My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.

James gives us six analogy of what the tongue is like – the bit, rudder, fire, poisonous animal, a spring, and a fig tree.

There are 3 things that the tongue has the power to do.

Power to direct – the bit and rudder.

The tongue has the power to direct and influence. Just as how the bit can direct a horse and a rudder a ship.

Our tongue has the power to affect the lives of other people.

Never underestimate the power of the tongue. Jesus’ word to the woman at the well changed her life and it started a chain reaction where she went on to share Christ to all the people she knew.

Many of us are saved today because someone opened his / her mouth to invite us to church. Or maybe some one shared how God has changed their lives.

You have a tremendous power to change and influence the lives of the people around you.

Just as how when directing a horse or a rudder of a ship… sometimes the bit or rudder works the most in the midst of resistance. It’s when the horse wants to go left, and you want it to go right, that you need to use the bit. It’s when the waves are pushing the ship away from the direction you want to go, that you use the rudder to get back on track.

In the same way, sometimes we need to say the right thing even though it is against the flow…

Eg. (use / find relevant ones)

- Maybe every one is gossiping… and the flow is to just follow…

But we need to use our tongue to go against the flow to re-direct the conversation to the right things.

Maybe every one is speaking vulgarities, telling dirty jokes in your school, army camp… will your speak be contrary to the “norm”

Maybe people are speaking untruthful, unhealthy, unedifying things… will you speak the truth.

Maybe it’s about speaking up to share about Christ with a friend, even though you may feel a little fearful about it…

But always remember… Our tongue has the power to direct…

It has the power to even direct some one to God!

One conversation can change a life.

God can use your tongue!

Power to Destroy – Fire and Poisonous animal.

Just as how the tongue has the power to bring life.. it has the power to destroy as well.

Death and life are in the power of the tongue,

Proverbs 18:21 NIV

The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.

James says that our words can be like fire. And when we say some thing it can set about a forest fire… never under estimate the power of our tongue to destroy…

Some times we think to ourselves, “oh it’s just a joke”, “I don’t mean it”, “why is that person so sensitive” We treat what we say lightly… but in actual fact some times our words can actually bring a forest fire and hurt people more than we think…

We need to think of others when we speak…

It is also can be like a poisonous animal.

How many of you had some one say some thing nasty to you before and it’s like a stab to you heart… it hurts.

In the same way it happened to us, if we are not careful we can do the same to other people too…

We have a saying in our church – “Nothing good to say don’t say”

Is what we say to build up or tear down.

Unfortunately some people say things to put others down so that they can feel better about themselves.

Is what we say to contribute or to criticize

Do what we say bring people closer to God or further away from God?

One good question to ask ourselves is…

Do our speech bring Faith, Hope and Love?

We need to be careful not to destroy others with our words.

Power to Delight – Spring and Fig Tree

The third thing that James teaches us is that as spiritually mature Christians, our tongue can and should bring delight to people.

The mouth of the righteous is a well of life,

Proverbs 10:11 NIV

The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life, but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.

Just like spring water and the fruit of a tree, our tongue should bring life to the people around us.

Be the source of life…

Instead of going around looking for encouragement and affirmation… why don’t we be the source of encouragement and affirmation first…

James also teaches us that a spring cannot yield both salt and fresh water, a fig tree cannot bear two different types of fruit. In the same way, our tongue cannot be used for blessing and cursing.

Our speech should be consistent. If the tongue is inconsistent there is something radically wrong with the heart.

… For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.

Luke 6:45 NIV

A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.

What we say flows out of our hearts.

If today you feel that you need to start to change in some area of your speech..

Maybe you need to speak less negative things, putting people down, cracking hurtful jokes, not being sensitive to others, always criticising, gossiping, etc…

maybe we need to let God first deal with our hearts.

Or

Maybe you need to speak more positive things… sharing about the goodness of God, being more thankful, being more encouraging and loving in our speech, being more active in sharing about God to the people around us, being more deliberate ins bringing people closer to God…

Maybe we also need to let God first deal with our hearts…

Recap

Our tongue has the:

Power to Direct

Power to Destroy

Power to Delight

Altar call

Think of how God can use your tongue to change the lives of the people around you…

There is tremendous power in our tongues. Let’s be deliberate and godly in our speech. Let God use our words to touch the lives of people around us.

Challenge / Reflect

Children – how can / should you speak to your family / parents / siblings differently.

School – to your classmates / school mates… how do we take what we say more seriously, knowing that it will affect the people around us.

Work – in the work place, how can you change the atmosphere. Bringing faith, hope and love to your colleagues.

Couples – how are we using our tongue in our marriage, to our husband / wife

Parents – how are we speaking to our Children… it can make all the difference in your children’s life

In Church / CG – we are surrounded by many “nice “ people. But even more so we should be careful with what we say… has what we been saying edifying? Drawing people closer to God or away from God?

All

How God can use your tongue to reach out to some one that is not saved.

How can God use you to speak life, share your testimony, invite someone to church.

Practical

Practise it in the CG – spend some time using your tongue to bring life to the people around you.

Think of how you are going to step out in faith to share about Christ with someone.