To Central Inters & Juniors
8/6/41
James 3 verse 2 – 8
I wonder have you ever noticed how, so often, it is the little things which are the most important.
For example, if you try to turn a horse around by pushing it with all your might on its flank you’ll have a Dickens of a jobs, but if you put a tiny bit in its mouth and just pull its girth, round he comes as easy as can be.
Similarly, a couple of turns of a wheel in the chart house of the Queen Mary and the whole ship is turned.
Again, one small incendiary bomb on Freeman, Hardy and Willis and a raging inferno is produced.
Yes, it’s often the little things that cause the damage.
St James noticed this too.
Let’s have a look at James 3 v 2-8.
The tongue, says St James is one of the most dangerous of the little things.
If a man has control of tongue, he has control over his whole body.
But what a danger it is if it is not under control!
I want us to think this afternoon of three things which come of an uncontrolled tongue:
- Colossians 3 v 8 – Filthy communication out of your mouth.
You all know what this text refers to.
I don’t think there’s any need to say anything about it except to tell you this.
At my school dinner table, a boy was telling me in a very frank sort of way what went on in his form.
He said, “We pass dirty stories down the row of desks, but old so and so,” (mentioning the name of a Crusader I know) “he’s a proper woman, he won’t pass any of them on.”
Well, I thought to myself, that “old so and so” was so far from being a woman, a far better man than my confidant.
- Proverbs XVII verse 19 – Strife – Swearing – Argument.
Some people consider that we are not enjoying ourselves unless they are engaged in a good hefty argument.
I always think it displeases God to see Christians, for all of whom Christ died, arguing with each other about some point of belief or creed.
Even more futile, I think is argument between a Christian and a non-Christian about religion.
Obviously neither of them is going to give in contrary to his convictions.
I have never heard yet, and I don’t suppose I ever shall, of anybody being argued into being a Christian.
- Psalm XV v 3 – Backbiting – or scandal mongering.
We all find it very tempting to get together behind someone’s back and pull him to pieces, don’t we?
That’s yet another of the Devil’s methods of using our tongues for his purpose.
I could never imagine the Lord Jesus Christ saying anything behind anyone’s back that the he would hesitate to say to their face.
He often uttered his justifiable contempt of the Scribes and Pharisees, but he was equally contemptuous of than when in their presence.
It would be a good idea if we took Him as our example in this, and endeavoured never to say anything behind a person’s back which we would not say to his face.
If you want to disagree with a person, do so by all means, so long as you have good grounds for disagreement, but don’t go around behind his back pulling him to pieces and calling him all sorts of names because he doesn’t happen to think as you do.
Well, so much for that little member the tongue.
St James says “The tongue no man can tame.”
Perhaps we ought to put more emphasis on the “man”, for if man cannot tame it, we know who can and does.
“With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible,” and in God’s strength and under His guidance the tongue can be changed from a tiny source of much evil, to a tiny source of much good.
Shall we remember then, this potential source of evil within us and endeavour, by God’s grace, to change it into a source of good.
Let us also always remember James’ solemn warning (James 1.26):
“If any man among you aspires to be religious and bridles not his tongue….this man’s religion is in vain.”
But the untamed tongue is a sower of untold evil, the tamed tongue can be a source of untold good.
If Hitler can cause harm with his tongue, so Spurgeon could win hundreds for God by his preaching.
We, by our conversation can do much for God.
Obviously we can serve Him by talking about spiritual things, but I think we can do far more than we suppose by ordinary everyday conversation.
A Christians conversation is almost always distinguishable by its purity, good-naturedness, interest and sympathy.
Conversation often means behaviour in the Bible (Philippians 1.27) and indeed ours does count as largely as our behaviour.