…the tongue is a small part of the body, and yet it boasts of great things. See how great a forest is set aflame by such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire, the very world of iniquity; the tongue is set among our members as that which defiles the entire body, and sets on fire the course of our life, and is set on fire by hell.<\/i> James 3:5-6<\/p>\n
The human\u00a0tongue. It’s as potentially lethal as a can of gas and a\u00a0lighter in the hands of an arsonist. Let\u2019s break these two verses down\u00a0to take a closer look.<\/p>\n
The tongue is small, but boasts of great things.<\/span>\u00a0 \u201c\u2026the tongue is a small thing that makes grand speeches<\/i>\u201d (NLT). If you talk big, can you follow-through big? This reminds me of what Jesus said: \u201cFor which one of you, when he wants to build a tower, does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if he has enough to complete it?<\/i> Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who observe it begin to ridicule him, saying, \u2018This man began to build and was not able to finish<\/i>\u2019\u201d (Luke 14:28-30).<\/p>\n
A huge forest fire can be started with a tiny spark.<\/span>\u00a0 This is Smokey Bear\u2019s mantra. A tossed cigarette butt, a smoldering campfire, an errant firecracker, a small spark created when a dangling chain on a speeding semi strikes the concrete\u2014each\u00a0event has created massive forest fires. Often innocent but neglectful actions can create disorder, destruction, and death.<\/p>\n
The tongue is a fire.<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Have you ever tossed out your words like a discarded cigarette butt?\u00a0Do you\u00a0sometimes leave\u00a0relationships smoldering like partially-doused campfires by\u00a0the words\u00a0you\u2019ve said, figuring “It’s all good\u2014I don\u2019t have the time to hassle with it now, anyway”?\u00a0Have you ever set off fireworks with snippy or snarky remarks?\u00a0Do you allow the dangling, partially broken-off, metallic baggage and bondages of your life to strike the highway as you speed along your way,\u00a0setting fires by the\u00a0sparks created\u00a0in your wake?<\/p>\n
The tongue is a world of iniquity.<\/span>\u00a0 \u201cIt is a whole world of wickedness<\/i>\u2026<\/i>\u201d (NLT). Yes, this is talking about your<\/em> tongue. And mine. Makes you think, doesn\u2019t it?<\/p>\n
The tongue placed in your body can defile the whole thing.<\/span>\u00a0 What can the tongue\u2014or your words\u2014defile? Your whole body; your entire life. Some synonyms from other Bible versions for the word defile<\/em> are “poison”, “corrupt”, and “contaminate”.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s safe to say, then, that your words can defile, poison, corrupt, and contaminate your whole\u00a0life.<\/p>\n
The tongue can set the course of your life on fire.<\/span>\u00a0 Watching news coverage of some of the huge wildfires\u00a0which\u00a0consumed\u00a0vast regions\u00a0in recent years, you know that once a fire starts, it becomes treacherously difficult to put out. Your words\u2014whether throw-away, angry, or intentionally demeaning\u2014also have the power to ignite the course of your life\u2014or someone else\u2019s\u2014on fire.<\/p>\n
The fire is set by hell itself.<\/span>\u00a0 The Phillips version has a different interpretation of this thought which is worth noting. It reads, \u201c\u2026it can make the whole of life a blazing hell<\/i>.\u201d Think of all the\u00a0young people\u00a0tormented\u2014many to the point of suicide\u2014through the words of careless peers on social media. However, most other Bible versions simply express that the fire which is started by words is set, ignited, and master-minded by hell itself. Makes me wonder: What\u2014or who\u2014really<\/em> directs the tongue much of the time?<\/p>\n
Your tongue, though it is small, has incredible potential to destroy your life or someone else\u2019s. Your words are intensely powerful whether you believe it or not; controlling horses and ships is a walk in the park compared to managing your own tongue (see http:\/\/www.firstofallpray.com\/?p=6072\u00a0 <\/a>).<\/p>\n
The Message Bible pulls no punches. It\u00a0interprets James 3:5-6 this way:<\/p>\n
May God grant us the grace, wisdom, and restraint\u00a0we need to manage our words wisely!<\/p>\n