May 10
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IRREPRESSIBLE TONGUE
See how great a forest is set aflame by such a small fire! 6 And the tongue is a fire, the very world of unrighteousness; the tongue is set among our body’s parts as that which defiles the whole body and sets on fire the course of our life, and is set on fire by hell. 7 For every species of beasts and birds, of reptiles and creatures of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by the human race. 8 But no one among mankind 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 have been made in the likeness of God; 10 from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. My brothers and sisters, these things should not be this way. 11 Does a spring send out from the same opening both fresh and bitter water? 12 Can a fig tree, my brothers and sisters, bear olives, or a vine bear figs? Nor can salt water produce fresh. – James 3:5-12
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In this letter, James continues to warn the believers about a part of our body that is pervasively evil and irrepressible: the tongue. In verse 5, he likens it to a forest set ablaze by such a small fire. Just like how one small gossip can ruin someone’s character or a relationship or even an entire community.
In verse 6, James elaborately explains the damage a tongue can do and where it comes from. He says that the tongue is the one that defiles a person. It brings about trouble which is the fire that is actually brought about by hell itself. What a scary thought it is to think that this part of our body can lead us straight to hell.
In verse 7, he talks about the untameable tongue that we have by comparing it to every animal species on earth. He says that the beasts, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea can be tamed but the tongue cannot. He continues on in verse 8 to say that it can never be tamed because it is evil itself and full of deadly poison. In verses 9-10, he proves his point by illustrating that we praise the Lord by it and also curse other creation created by God in his own image. He warns the believers that this must not be the case in Christians.
In verses 11-12, he challenges the believers to examine their hearts when he asked the question “Can a fig tree bear olives or vine bear figs?” This question means that if you are in Christ, your mind is going to be renewed and you won’t allow evil to come out of your mouth. It makes us examine if our hearts and minds are in sync with our mouths.
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REFLECTION
• If James claims that the tongue is irrepressible, who can tame it then?