A Closer Look At The Tongue
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BOASTING
BOASTING
Boasting - excessively proud and self-satisfied talk about one's achievements, possessions, or abilities.
Behold, we put bits in the horses’ mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body. Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth. Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!
THE TONGUE IS A LITTLE MEMBER THAT BOASTS GREAT THINGS (v. 3-5).
Two illustrations are given.
=> Consider the bit or bridle that is put in the mouth of a horse to guide and turn the horse’s body. The bit and bridle are ever so small.
=> Consider the small rudder or helm that guides a ship. It even controls the ship through the winds of a fierce storm. Note how small it is.
So it is with the tongue. It is only a little member of the body, but its destructive power is great. It can boast great things, making statements stressing our own…
ability
talents
self-sufficiency
triumphs
possessions
position
spirituality
accomplishments
A person can boast about anything and he can boast in a quiet, unassuming way or boast with many words.
All boasting is destructive: either the speaker lowers his own image in the eyes of others, the listener feels inferior or less of a person than the boaster.
Boasting is nothing more than vain or empty talk, but its destructive force must never be underestimated.
Whoso boasteth himself of a false gift
Is like clouds and wind without rain.
A person can boast about anything and he can boast in a quiet, unassuming way or boast with many words.
All boasting is destructive: either the speaker lowers his own image in the eyes of others, the listener feels inferior or less of a person than the boaster.
Boasting is nothing more than vain or empty talk, but its destructive force must never be underestimated.
Whoso boasteth himself of a false gift
Is like clouds and wind without rain.
THE TONGUE IS A FIRE, A WORLD OF INIQUITY (v. 5-6).
Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.
The word “matter” means wood or a forest, hence the matter or raw material of a thing.
Therefore, the meaning is that a great forest is set on fire by only a little spark of fire.
So it is with the tongue.
The tongue is a fire that can set a whole forest of lives and relationships on fire, consuming and destroying all that lies in its path.
Just think about the great and terrible damage that has been done by the fire of words, rumors, tale bearing, and sharp or cutting remarks.
Marriages have been destroyed;
Friendships have been damaged;
Reputations have been ruined; even wars fought.
The tongue can pollute and dirty a man’s whole body and life, the whole “wheel” of his life.
How is this possible?
All the evil of the world, every vile act, finds expression in words.
Name any sin, and words are involved either through thoughts of the mind or words of the tongue.
Note the source of a fiery tongue: hell.
Satan himself is the igniter of a fiery tongue; therefore, any person who sets his tongue ablaze is following the tongue of Satan, of the fire of hell itself.
This person demonstrates a hellish, Satanic heart and not the heart of Christ.
The fire of hell, Gehenna, is never to be seen in the life of a believer.
Hell - a valley of Jerusalem, used (figurative) as a name for the place (or state) of everlasting punishment :- hell.
A believer’s tongue is never to speak forth the fiery flames of hell’s destructive words—words that are ugly, cursing, unclean, angry, divisive, unkind, suggestive, or tale bearing.
Whoso privily slandereth his neighbour, him will I cut off:
Him that hath an high look and a proud heart will not I suffer.
ILLUSTRATION:
The story is told of a man who often spent time at the local store catching up on and participating in the town gossip. His minister simply could not convince the man of the damage he was doing. On a windy day, the minister visited the man and said, “Come with me to your barn. I want to show you something.” The minister had purchased a feather pillow. He said to the man, “Open this pillow and let the feathers fly out.” When the man had done so, the preacher said, “Now go pick them all up.”—Source unknown.
The point was made. The man could no more take back all his vain talk, than he could retrieve all those scattered feathers.