TAMING THE TONGUE
No other task that man could endeavor to take up can be as difficult as taming the tongue. In James’ words,
‘All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison’. (James 3:7)
Man’s intrinsic sinful nature coupled with the ease of speaking (as opposed to doing things), makes the tongue deadly. The damage that speech does is compared to a spark that sets a forest on fire. What man speaks has consequences on those around him like a spreading wildfire. It also eventually comes to define him as a person.
‘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.’ (James 3:4-6)
The Bible does make suggestions to help us at least attempt to tame the tongue.
- Reining the tongue:
My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, ——–Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless.(James 1:19,26)
Being quick to listen and slow to speak is never easy, but needs to be practiced with constant denial of our tendencies to blurt out what comes to the mind and to get a word in edgeways in every conversation. It is OK not to be prominent during group conversations and keep quiet and listen to others, while not speaking.
- Avoiding dichotomy:
‘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?(James 3:9-11).
Being consistent in speech demands that a disciple makes a habit of praising God and saying praise-worthy things. For one trying to take on the nature of Christ, dichotomy is an inevitable step on the journey to perfection. To hasten that process however, a decision needs to be taken to take off the menu, certain aspects of speech including cursing that have no legitimacy in the realm of the godly.
- Making the foundation right:
“Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit. —————For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him.” (Matthew 12:33-35)
What is stored inside of man will become manifest through words and deeds. Partaking in the transformation that is brought about by the Holy Spirit through faith in Christ is perhaps the best way to ensure that words are an outflow from the good within. Learning to say what is politically right, and hypocritically not backing it up with genuine action is worthy of utmost condemnation. A disciple needs to aim for genuine goodness within which naturally lends itself to good words.
To speak right is anything but easy. But in the light of Jesus’ warning in Matthew 12:36, “But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken”, taming the tongue cannot be avoided at any cost.
