The Small but Mighty Tongue

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3 Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. ² For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body. ³ If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. ⁴ Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. ⁵ So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things.

How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! ⁶ And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. ⁷ For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, ⁸ but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. ⁹ With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. ¹⁰ From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. ¹¹ Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? ¹² Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water. (James 3:1–12).

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ!

Teaching in the Church is not for everyone, for two reasons: First, God holds those who work daily in the Word to higher standards. “To whom much has been given, from him shall much be expected” (Matthew 13:12). Second, controlling the tongue and using it wisely is neither simple nor easy.

Controlling our mouths is not on the edges of Christian life, just one small detail among many other minor matters, but it is the key to controlling the whole self. Someone who is careful with words and thus has learned to exercise self-control has earned the right to be listened to. He is perfect, not in the sense that he has never sinned, but in the sense he has achieved an important goal set by God and that control over the rest of his life will fall into place, too.

It is often said, “Sticks and stones may break your bones, but words will never hurt you.” But we all know from personal experience this is not true. Although words seem to be merely moving air and the tongue is just a three-inch muscle, wet, floppy, and only partially visible, it is tremendously powerful. Like a tail that wags the dog, the tongue drives our lives.

James gives the following examples of little things with significant effects: The bits in horses’ mouths. When managed properly, that little piece of steel in a horse’s mouth can control a two-thousand-pound animal. The rudder on a ship. That little shaped plank, mostly invisible beneath the waterline, enables a captain to control the course of an immense ship filled with cargo, crew, and passengers. A spark in a forest. Under control, a spark can make a small fire to warm cold travelers and cook their food. Out of control, a spark can cause a forest fire that can reduce thousands of acres of mighty trees to blackened, smoking stumps.

James warns us against the misuse of the tongue. “The tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness” (v. 6). “No human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil full of deadly poison” (v. 8). “With [the tongue] we curse people who are made in the likeness of God” (v. 9).

The use or misuse of the tongue falls under the 2^nd, 5^th, 6^th, and 8^th Commandments and their explanations. In the Fifth Commandment and its explanation, we hear: “You shall not murder. What does this mean? We should fear and love God so we do not hurt or harm our neighbor in his body, but help and support him in every physical need.” Jesus amplifies the definition of murder to include misuse of the tongue: “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ But I say to you that everyone angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire” (Matthew 5:21-22.)

In his explanation of the Sixth Commandment, Martin Luther teaches, “We should fear and love God so that we lead a sexually pure and decent life in what we say and do.” This includes speaking and acting with one another as male and female in ways that build up rather than tear down (such as crude talk or derogatory comments).

The Eighth Commandment is all about the godly use and misuse of the tongue. “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor. What does this mean? We should fear and love God so that we do not tell lies about our neighbor, betray him, slander him, or hurt his reputation, but defend him, speak well of him, and explain everything in the kindest way.”

Harmful speech includes “telling lies about our neighbor in everyday life or a court of law,”; “betraying our neighbors by making public their private faults or secrets,”; “slandering our neighbors by rushing to judgment, complaining about them, or spreading rumors.” Constructive speech includes “defending our neighbors when others speak badly about them; drawing attention to our neighbor’s good qualities and deeds; seeking to understand our neighbor’s actions in the most favorable light and explaining them in the kindest possible way.

Undoubtedly, James is addressing a real and immediate issue pertinent to his audience. Just as Chapter 2 reveals that his congregation has a problem with discrimination between the wealthy and the poor, so Chapter 3 reveals a problem with language, words, and power that has been wielded irresponsibly (or foolishly, since this is wisdom literature!) among James’ hearers. And who among us has not been faced with the cancer of gossip in the body of Christ? That’s the problem I have with “prayer chains,” which act like the party line telephone from back in the day, the brokenness of secrets revealed, confessions divulged, and confidentiality sacrificed on the altar of thoughtfulness and concern.

Loose lips, thoughtless comments, and vulgar talk are a widespread problem! But the Second Commandment and its explanation is an even more significant concern! “You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God. What does this mean? We should fear and love God so that we do not curse, swear, use satanic arts, lie, or deceive by His name, but call upon it in every trouble, pray, praise, and give thanks.”

How do we fear and love God in keeping the Second Commandment?

First, we fear and love God by not using His name to swear thoughtlessly or meaninglessly or as a “curse” word; or to try to manipulate God for our purposes in sorcery, as a magic charm, or to curse others; or to lie to others or deceive them by speaking or teaching falsely about God.

Second, we fear and love God by using His name to seek from Him all good things for ourselves and others; to call upon Him in times of trouble; to acknowledge in thanks and praise that all good things come from Him alone, and to speak and teach truthfully about God in accordance with His Word.

Words matter! It is urgent that people, especially Christians, learn to control their mouths, not only to avoid hurting other people emotionally and spiritually. But an uncontrolled tongue can also turn on the uncontrolled talker, corrupting the whole person (verse 7), poisoning their mind, and plunging the body into the dangers of the fires of hell.

People who claim to be believers must not let their mouths get out of control. Faith in the Savior welcomes the power of the Spirit to “bite their tongues” and hold back lies, sarcasm, ridicule, gossip, evil suggestions, and praise for evil deeds. Faith uses the Spirit’s power to build up other people, speak the truth, compliment, forgive, and comfort. Faith also knows when to command the tongue to be silent.

Talk is not cheap. Words do wound. Words can build up or destroy a person’s self-confidence. Words can turn someone’s proud achievement into humiliation. Words can create or destroy relationships. Words can spread hate or love. Words can spread truth or plant lies. Words can cause suspicion or build trust.

Words are also God’s means to rescue people from hell. A sermon, a Bible study, a catechism lesson, or an evangelism visit over coffee all look tame and ineffectual. But God’s power to save people, to create and sustain saving faith, rides with words. The power of renewal is Christ, the Word Incarnate, God’s final Word, God’s Word of Truth. The Christ whose mouth fulfills what we cannot, both in what He does not say (like a lamb to shearers He opened not His mouth) and in what He does say (“The Lord God has given Me the tongue of those who are taught, that I may know how to sustain with a word him who is weary” (Isaiah 50:4).

In our Gospel from a few weeks ago, Jesus asserted the mouth is an indicator of what lies inside the heart: “What comes out of a person is what defiles him. For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person” (Mark 7:18–23).

In Isaiah’s vision of the throne of God, he exclaimed, “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips.” Then one of the seraphim flew to him, having in his hand a burning coal that he had taken from the altar. And he touched Isaiah’s mouth and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for” (Isaiah 6:5-7).

The Lord has given you a mouth, too… and cleansed it. The Lord has tamed your tainted tongue. The Lord has opened your mouth to proclaim, to welcome, some to teach, some to preach, and for all to call on the name of the Lord. “And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved’” (Acts 2:21).

Finally, the Lord has opened your mouth, also, to receive every good and perfect gift from above, including the body and blood of Christ.

God, as the giver of all good gifts (James 1:17), has created the tongue to wield incredible power for good, but in this fallen world, that power can be used to harm. With all creation (Romans 8:18-25), Christians await the day when the tongue will also experience the final (not just firstfruits, James 1:18) recreative power of Christ at His second coming. Then every knee will bow, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

As we reflect on the teachings of James, we are reminded that our words carry immense power, both for good and for harm. The tongue, small as it is, can direct the course of our lives and affect the lives of others. In a world where words are often used carelessly, we are called to be mindful of what we say, understanding that our speech reflects the condition of our hearts. Through faith, we are empowered to speak truth, build others up, and honor God with our words. However, we must also recognize that, without the help of Christ, taming the tongue is beyond our ability. Only through His grace can our hearts and words be purified.

As Christians, we have the gift of Christ, the Word made flesh, whose perfect speech and actions atone for our failures. He has cleansed our mouths and opened them to proclaim His truth, to offer prayers of praise, and to receive His gifts. With His power, we can control our tongues, using them to serve Him and others in love. Let us be diligent in our speech, always striving to reflect the love and truth of Christ, knowing that He alone can transform our words into instruments of grace. May we continue to rely on His guidance as we live out our faith, building others up and glorifying Him with every word we speak. Amen

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.