Measure of Maturity
The Tongue Reveals What the Heart Contains
SCRIPTURE:
James 3:2 CSB - For we all stumble in many ways. If anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is mature, able also to control the whole body.
OBSERVATION:
Most of us are familiar with James chapter 3—Taming the Tongue. And most of us—if not all—would admit to succumbing to the tongue's pitfalls. James reveals how dangerous and wretched our words can be:
James 3:5-6 CSB - So too, though the tongue is a small part of the body, it boasts great things. Consider how a small fire sets ablaze a large forest. And the tongue is a fire. The tongue, a world of unrighteousness, is placed among our members. It stains the whole body, sets the course of life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.
We see the damage words can cause—but do we ever truly tame them?
Words are some of the hardest things to take back. Once they’re out, they either encourage or discourage. In a moment, we can swing from one extreme to the other. We’ve all been there.
James gives us a measure of spiritual maturity:
If anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is mature, able also to control the whole body.
Does self-control have a lot to do with the words we speak and the tone we use?
Jesus certainly thought so. He called out the religious leaders of His day for their words.
Matthew 12:34-37 NKJV - "Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. "A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things. "But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. "For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned."
Our words have power. They affect our lives and the lives of others. And one day (maybe even today), we’ll give an account of them.
That old saying our grandparents taught us comes to mind:
“Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me.”
While it’s true we shouldn’t take childish insults too seriously, the lasting impact of hurtful words is undeniable.
James 3:9-10 CSB - With the tongue we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in God's likeness. Blessing and cursing come out of the same mouth. My brothers and sisters, these things should not be this way.
APPLICATION:
Will we ever fully tame the tongue? Only if we yield to the Holy Spirit.
James 3:7-8 CSB - Every kind of animal, bird, reptile, and fish is tamed and has been tamed by humankind, but no one can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.
We can’t tame it on our own, but Jesus can—through the power of the Holy Spirit. As we mature in Christ, let our goal be to learn to tame the tongue. Yes, it’s a restless evil, full of deadly poison, but it doesn’t have to stay that way. We must first acknowledge that our tongue isn’t the root issue—the heart is:
“For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” (Matt. 12:34)
So, ask the Lord for a heart transplant—His heart in place of ours. Then follow James’ simple yet powerful instruction:
James 1:19 CSB - My dear brothers and sisters, understand this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger.
It’s been said:
“We were given two ears and one mouth for a reason—to listen twice as much as we speak.”
PRAYER:
Jesus, please give me a heart transplant today. Replace mine with Yours. May I speak as You do, love as You do, and act as You do. This can only happen through the power of the Holy Spirit. May I be an encourager, not a discourager. May my words be few, and when I speak, may they be seasoned with You.
James 3:2 CSB - For we all stumble in many ways. If anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is mature, able also to control the whole body.
OBSERVATION:
Most of us are familiar with James chapter 3—Taming the Tongue. And most of us—if not all—would admit to succumbing to the tongue's pitfalls. James reveals how dangerous and wretched our words can be:
James 3:5-6 CSB - So too, though the tongue is a small part of the body, it boasts great things. Consider how a small fire sets ablaze a large forest. And the tongue is a fire. The tongue, a world of unrighteousness, is placed among our members. It stains the whole body, sets the course of life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.
We see the damage words can cause—but do we ever truly tame them?
Words are some of the hardest things to take back. Once they’re out, they either encourage or discourage. In a moment, we can swing from one extreme to the other. We’ve all been there.
James gives us a measure of spiritual maturity:
If anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is mature, able also to control the whole body.
Does self-control have a lot to do with the words we speak and the tone we use?
Jesus certainly thought so. He called out the religious leaders of His day for their words.
Matthew 12:34-37 NKJV - "Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. "A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things. "But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. "For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned."
Our words have power. They affect our lives and the lives of others. And one day (maybe even today), we’ll give an account of them.
That old saying our grandparents taught us comes to mind:
“Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me.”
While it’s true we shouldn’t take childish insults too seriously, the lasting impact of hurtful words is undeniable.
James 3:9-10 CSB - With the tongue we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in God's likeness. Blessing and cursing come out of the same mouth. My brothers and sisters, these things should not be this way.
APPLICATION:
Will we ever fully tame the tongue? Only if we yield to the Holy Spirit.
James 3:7-8 CSB - Every kind of animal, bird, reptile, and fish is tamed and has been tamed by humankind, but no one can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.
We can’t tame it on our own, but Jesus can—through the power of the Holy Spirit. As we mature in Christ, let our goal be to learn to tame the tongue. Yes, it’s a restless evil, full of deadly poison, but it doesn’t have to stay that way. We must first acknowledge that our tongue isn’t the root issue—the heart is:
“For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” (Matt. 12:34)
So, ask the Lord for a heart transplant—His heart in place of ours. Then follow James’ simple yet powerful instruction:
James 1:19 CSB - My dear brothers and sisters, understand this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger.
It’s been said:
“We were given two ears and one mouth for a reason—to listen twice as much as we speak.”
PRAYER:
Jesus, please give me a heart transplant today. Replace mine with Yours. May I speak as You do, love as You do, and act as You do. This can only happen through the power of the Holy Spirit. May I be an encourager, not a discourager. May my words be few, and when I speak, may they be seasoned with You.
You'll never tame your words by trying harder — the only path to a controlled tongue is a transformed heart, and that's the Holy Spirit's work, not yours.
Posted in 20 - James
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