Taming The Tongue

Words are powerful things. Words can help lead entire nations into prosperity and peace, and words can set the whole world on fire. Look at the world around you right now. Thanks to camera phones and social media, most of us were witnesses to a great injustice in Minneapolis recently. In the fallout of that tragedy the focus has been on one thing: words. Some have been focused on listening to the voices of the downcast, and others have been focused on making sure their own voices are heard. From the same event have come words that spark a unifying revolution and words that have destroyed lives and cities. The old saying proves to be true, that the pen is mightier than the sword. You possess in your mouth the most powerful tool in the entire world. Your tongue can be used to lift up and give life, and your tongue can be used to destroy and decimate, divide and debilitate. Here is the other thing: you can’t control it.

The tongue is proud and wild

Nobody has ever been able to tame the tongue - you will not be the first (verses 1-7)

Of all the ways we can stumble, the sin of the tongue is the easiest to fall into (verse 2)

If you think that you don’t struggle with this, then you think you have far more control over yourself than you do. This chapter is for YOU.

Verse 7. Nuff Said.

The tongue steers our entire lives (4-5,15-16)

The tongue is also powerful, responsible for much of our life’s experiences. It is like a rudder steering our body

Where tongues are left unchecked, chaos and evil thrives. (v.15-16)

The tongue is a window into the dual nature of the heart (verses 9-12)

This is a struggle for everyone because the tongue is a clear window into the dual nature of our hearts

How is it that our tongue can worship God and also spit venom at His beloved creation? (v. 9,10)

This is not the way it should be. But we cannot tame it, so that are we to do? Use the things on the sides of your head and the thing in between them first. Rather than speak and act on impulse, seek wisdom that comes from God. In his grace, he gives it to us. (ch.1:5)

Wisdom from God is meek and controlled

Wisdom from God is focused on actions rather than strong opinions (verses 13-15, James 1:19)

Do you truly care for your neighbor? Do you want to do the right thing and honor God? Show it by making yourself a servant to all people, not by screaming your opinion at people on social media or on the street.

Wisdom from God will be focused on listening and understanding before it is focused on speaking

It is concerned with ones neighbor, not the self (v.17, pure, peaceable, gentle, merciful, sincere)

Wisdom from God will be focused on the welfare of your neighbor, not yourself

How do we know that? Look at the life of Christ.

Was he concerned with himself? Never.

Was he pure? In everything he did he was sinless

Did he desire peace? He successfully established peace between us and God

Was he gentle? He washed the feet of sinners and healed the outcasts

Was he merciful? He died for the sake of the people that ridiculed and murdered him

Was he sincere? Look to the man who willingly hangs on the cross and ask if he was sincere.

To the utmost, and he empowers us to do the same. Christ did not free you from the bondage of sin so you can fight for your own comfort and preferences, but so you could go and do likewise, serving the least among you.

It is not concerned with “sides,” but the truth (v.17, open to reason, impartial, sincere)

so few people today are concerned with the truth, and very many people don’t even think that truth exists anymore, but that should never be true for the Christian.

Today people pick a side and then lock in, refusing to ever listen to anyone else or reconsider their own opinions on a matter.

Jesus challenges many of the world’s way of doing things, and we need to allow the gospel to challenge our own way of seeing things. We need to seek the truth rather than pick a side and argue it.

Seek wisdom from God, and so act in peaceful humility

The tongue is powerful and wild, not able to be controlled. We have a responsibility to use the power that God has given us, but we must wield it carefully.

Check what is in your heart before you speak.

Is it selfish ambition? Then listen, don’t speak.

Is it peaceful, gentle and open to reasonable perspectives? Is it ready to pour out mercy to everyone, regardless of their position? Then continue to listen and gently use your speech to present the love of Christ to people.

We are obsessed with talking and voicing our own opinions. The tongue thrives on that setting, it wants full control. We cannot trust our tongue, it has a mind of its own and we cannot control it. We should trust our tongue less and grant less control to it. Shift the focus to the transformation of our own hearts as we listen and seek understanding from God.