James 3:2-4—Bits, rudders, and your tongue

For we all stumble in many ways. If anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body as well. Now if we put the bits into the horses’ mouths so that they will obey us, we direct their entire body as well.  Look at the ships also, though they are so great and are driven by strong winds, are still directed by a very small rudder wherever the inclination of the pilot desires. James 3:2-4

Horses’ bits.  Ships’ rudders. Your tongue. This odd assortment has very little in common—except for one thing. Each determines direction. Which of the three is easiest to operate—a horse with a bit, a ship by its rudder, or your own life with your tongue? It seems like a no-brainer; of course it’s easier to manage your life and your own tongue than to control a massive ship or a spirited horse…or is it?

Look at the ships also, though they are so great and are driven by strong winds, are still directed by a very small rudder wherever the inclination of the pilot desires.

Working backwards in this section, first think about how ships are steered. The rudder, attached to the lower stern of a ship, slices through the water as the navigator directs. As the pilot guides, the rudder moves to the left or right, pushing against the force of the water as the ship forges ahead. This is what enables the vessel to be steered. Despite how massive it may be, the entire bulk of the ship is directed by that small rudder.

Now if we put the bits into the horses’ mouths so that they will obey us, we direct their entire body as well.

Horses—fiercely independent, magnificent creatures in the wild—can be controlled by a small bit placed into their mouths. Just a gentle tug on the bridle attached to the bit will direct this strong-willed animal.

If you were to stand next to a horse or catch a boat out to a ship at sea and then were asked to take control over either one, would you feel uneasy about it? With proper instruction and training, you could take charge of either of them and be successful. What would you use to guide them? A relatively small rudder or a tiny bit.

For we all stumble in many ways. If anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body as well.

A horse can be directed through treacherous terrain by its master with a nudge or pull on the bridle, attached to a bit. A ship can be steered through tumultuous seas with the proper turning of a rudder. According to James, your life is also directed, navigated, and steered by something.

He writes that a man bridles his body, and thus, his life, with one small thing—his tongue. If a man does not slip up—ever—in what he says, then he is perfect and is able to bridle his whole body as well.

James set the table with these verses to teach about the deadly potential of the human tongue. He established how humans have mastered both massive vessels and huge animals by comparatively small objects—a rudder and a bit. And a little object—the tongue—existing within each of our mouths, has the capacity of a rudder or a bit to enable us to direct our lives. There’s only one problem as James will reveal—it has power to destroy as well, and it seems to have a mind of its own.

Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit. Proverbs 18:21

If anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body as well. James 3:2b

Hang in there this week as we look at just how important our tongues—and the words we speak—really are!

Dorothy