Untamed

Some of you know that my sweet seventeen year old cat Ember passed away this morning after a massive stroke. One of my dear friends on Facebook wanted me to tell stories about her. Although there are plenty of funny and heartwarming things I could share, I thought about this blog entry in the middle of the series I wrote on the book of James. I mentioned Ember by name near the end as I shared one of her annoying traits as an illustration for this portion of Scripture. Also included in this entry is a fairly unusual encounter I had with a woodpecker (and its descendants).

I dedicate this entry to Ember.

For every species of beasts and birds, of reptiles and creatures of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by the human race.  But no one can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil and full of deadly poison. James 3:7-8

I have four cats. They are docile (some would say lazy), affectionate, and generally well-behaved. They understand the word NO and usually come when called by name (and using reverse psychology, I can get one to come when I call his rival’s name). They know their rights and responsibilities as feline members of the household. They are domesticated—tamed—by me.

James said every species of beasts and birds, of reptiles and creatures of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by the human race. Lions, tigers, bears (oh, my!), camels, elephants, whales, rats, crows, chimps, cobras, raccoons, even fleas…most animal species have experienced at least one member among them succumbing to human training and even going along with it (usually for treats—they’re not stupid). After all, in the beginning, God told the man and woman, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth” (see Genesis 1:28).

To illustrate this point in dramatic fashion, I took Genesis 1:28 to heart as a sleep-deprived young teacher. You see, when I lived in a top-floor apartment facing a strip of woods, every spring a woodpecker would arrive on the roof right above my head just before dawn. Every morning I would awaken with a jolt as he drilled, RAT-A-TAT-TAT, loud and relentlessly, probably in search of tasty bugs. I would hop out of bed, slam the window up and down, up and down, and whisper loudly, “Shoo! Go away!” only to be reawakened three or four minutes later, on and on, every morning, every spring.

After four years of interrupted sleep at the beak of this winged jack-hammer, that fifth spring, on the second morning of the woodpecker’s yearly ritual, I was ready. The night before, I left my Bible open on the window sill to Genesis 1:28. Sure enough, like clockwork, before dawn the drilling began. I leaped out of bed, threw the window up and whispered loudly, “You listen to me, Mr. Woodpecker! It says right here in the Word of God that I ‘have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.’ Well, that includes you, you foul fowl, so I command you in Jesus’ name, leave my roof and never come back! Find all the bugs you need in those trees; this roof is now officially off-limits to you and your descendants forever!”

I closed the window, slipped back into bed, and slept until my alarm went off. In fact, that woodpecker never returned. The rest of the spring, I slept until my alarm rang; and for the next two springs I lived there, never again did woodpeckers rat-a-tat-tat above my head.

Before you get excited and think, “What a woman of faith and power!” I must admit one thing. I have failed woefully when it comes to taming my tongue. James was right. “Every species of beasts… has been tamed by the human race.  But no one can tame the tongue…” It’s not that I don’t care what I say—I do. It’s not that I cuss like a sailor—I don’t. It’s just that all too often I find myself diving into conversations that I need to backpedal out of. Or repent concerning. Or apologize for. If you don’t think that’s true for you, as well, just listen to yourself over the span of a week or so and you may change your mind.

When James said that the tongue is a restless evil and full of deadly poison, he wasn’t referring to the words of the wicked or the unsaved. He was writing to believers. He was talking about their tongues—and ours.

Whether it’s the urge to share a juicy tidbit about someone that would undermine their reputation or an impulsive need to talk on and on about how awful (or amazingly super-wonderful) your life is—it’s downright exasperating to control that slippery muscle!

David Guzik, in his commentary on this verse, related a story about a lady who told John Wesley that her talent was to speak her mind. He said that Wesley replied to her, “I don’t think God would mind if you buried that talent.” Summing up his thought, Guzik wrote, “Speaking forth everything that comes to mind is unwise, poisonous speech.” [David Guzik’s commentary can be accessed via the Blue Letter Bible website.]

The human tongue has remained untamed throughout history—in James’ time, in Wesley’s time, and now in our time. A Christian who desires to live holy can receive divine help to keep his tongue under control as he walks humbly before the Lord. But it’s not like mastering the times table or riding a bike—things which once learned stick with you forever. No, the tongue requires constant, vigilant oversight.

Remember when James said that all species of animals have been tamed by men? One of my cats—Ember—knows not to jump on the kitchen table. More than once, though, I’ve walked into the house and there she is, all googly-eyed, staring at me. Once we lock eyes, she’s off in a flash, her training suddenly returning to her.

So it is with your tongue, times a trillion. My cat is not on that table every time I come into the house; just once in a blue moon. Truly, my little black cat is better behaved than anyone’s tongue—James said so. Every hour of every day, your tongue must be forced to toe the line. You and I—as believers who want to live lives of honor and holiness—must recognize this point and be prepared to stand vigilant guard over our words. For the rest of our lives.

Gotta go—I’ve got guard duty (over my mouth).

Dorothy

The one who guards his mouth preserves his life; the one who opens wide his lips comes to ruin. Proverbs 13:3

He who guards his mouth and his tongue, guards his soul from troubles. Proverbs 21:23

Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips. Psalm 141:3