PROCLAMATION
“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.”
James 3:7-8 (NIV)
EXPLANATION
These words
were written by James, the half-brother of Jesus, The Christ, (Galatians 1:19)
under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God, to the Jewish believers who were
scattered after the crucifixion of Christ. (James 1:1) He wrote this
general epistle to provide them with practical advice on Christian
behavior. He begins this letter by telling them that most of them should
not become teachers because those who teach will be judged more strictly and
will be held to a higher standard. (James 3:1) Then he tells them that
the tongue is a small part of the body, but it can do a lot of damage. (James
3:5-6) He continues by saying that no man can tame the tongue. They
praise God and curse each other with the same tongue, and that should not be
so. (James 3:9-10) He ends this chapter by telling them that the wise men
will live a good life and their good deeds will reflect their wisdom. (James
3:13-18)
APPLICATION
Our tongue
can get us in a lot of trouble. Frequently we have said things that we
should not have said. What we say can defile us. (Matthew 15:11)
Sometimes the less we say, the better off we will be. (Matthew 5:37) We
should refrain from profane conversation and vain boasting. (Timothy
2:16) We will be judged on every word that we speak and by our words we
will be justified or condemned. (Matthew 12:36-37) We need to pray for
God’s help to teach us to hold our tongue and be quiet. (Job 6:24) We
should pray that our words will be “seasoned with salt” and helpful to those
that hear us. (Colossians 4:6) We should also pray that God will create
within us a clean heart, because that which comes out of our mouth reflects
that which is in our heart. (Matthew 12:34) Good clean Christian
conversation requires the help of The Lord.
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