James 3:1-12
Taming the Tongue
1Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. 2We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check.
3When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. 4Or 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. 5Likewise 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. 6The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.
7All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, 8but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.
9With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness. 10Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. 11Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? 12My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.
It is interesting St. James starts out talking about teachers in the "Taming of the Tongue" section...Teachers were given a responsibility in the church and could influence those in the church and those that followed and listened to them (the teachers)...The teachers must know that they to make mistakes...St. James, half brother of Jesus tells we all stumble, and stumble in many ways...They must watch and be on guard for not only of what they teach, but also what they say...
A horses bit steers the horse, a rudder steers the ship, and the tongue steers the a man...The tongue is but a small part, but it makes great boasts...The tongue is restless, evil, and full of poison...Out of the tongue, both good and evil come...No man can tame the tongue...Man can tame animals, birds, reptile, and other living creatures, but not his own tongue...
Just speaking and rambling, much or most of the time may not accomplish anything...It may even bring about a lower reputation on those of us who speak and ramble and talk all the time...People tend to listen to the ones, who have little to say...Once they speak (those who only speak little and wisely), people tend to listen...So be aware of just talking to be talking...
The teachers, who are given great gifts, as well as all of us, must have knowledge of the uncontrolled tongue...We must watch what we say... Much comes from our mouth...Once a word is said, it cannot be taken back...So St. James warns us about this, and how good it is to be in control of what we say...When we hear someone (like our teachers), that is important to us, speak, we think it is coming from their heart...Do you think that the tongue is a link to our hearts???...If it is, do we believe everything we hear???...St. James wants us to learn from this, and be in control, of what we say...We will be remembered for what we said, and not for how much we said...We must choose our words wisely...