WEEKLY SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON
An international Sunday school lesson
commentary
For
Sunday August 23, 2020
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CONTROLLING
THE TONGUE
(Our
words should honor GOD)
(James
3)
When JESUS becomes the LORD of our hearts, HE also
automatically becomes the LORD of our thoughts, and, our tongues. Not many
people should become teachers in the Christian Church, because those who teach
will be judged by GOD with greater strictness (James 3:1).
After explaining the Christian
characteristics of “patience” in chapter 1, and of “truth”, in chapter 2,
James, the brother of JESUS, now moves on to the subject of “Christian
maturity” here in chapter 3. Here he endeavors to explain the all-important
characteristic of “a Christian being able to control his or her thoughts and
tongues”.
In this passage, James begins by
discouraging the efforts, or ideas of too many people seeking to be teachers in
the Christian Church. Here he reminds us that teachers are evaluated by GOD in
a “much stricter manner” than everyone else in the Church. To teach GOD’s Word
is the most serious of undertakings and must by no means be taken lightly.
While it may be a “great privilege” to
teach, such a calling comes with an even “greater responsibility and dedication”.
Perhaps the greatest responsibility of all is “controlling the tongue” with
which we teach. In fact, James says, that, if we are successful in doing so, we
should also be able to control ourselves in every other area of our lives (v.2).
The mature Christian must “be patient in
troubled times”, “practice the truth”, and, “exercise power over his or her own
tongue” constantly. Our words must always reflect GOD’s wisdom, and not, the
wisdom of the world. Thus, James is saying here in this passage, that,
“controlled talk”, and “cultivated thought” are always, both, necessary.
As
Christians, we must not be prone to gossip, sarcasm, or trying to hurt or
destroy one another with the words that we speak. The tongue is a small, but
powerful instrument, and with it, we have the power to direct (Vs.1-4), destroy
(Vs.5-8), or delight one another (Vs.9-12). We can use the tongue, to both,
praise GOD, and, to “curse”, or “cuss” those who are made in the image of GOD.
In verses 3-5a, James uses the examples of
“a horses bit”, which is used to control the horse’s direction, and “a rudder”,
which is used to pilot, or steer a ship in any direction, even in a storm. As
small as these two items are, they are amazingly effective in controlling the
powerful horse, and the massive ship in the storm. The human tongue can be
likened to that in its size-to-power ratio. It can be a great director of GOD’s
wisdom, as it is taught to others, or, it can be a great destroyer, and do
tremendous damage to mankind if its teachings are false.
Also, in this passage, in verses 5b-6,
James likens the tongue to “a tiny spark” that can set off “a great forest fire”.
He tells us that the tongue can be “a flaming fire”, full of wickedness, that
can ruin a person’s whole life. It can turn the course of a person’s life into “a
blazing flame of destruction” that seems to have been set by hell itself.
Even a person who possesses a faith that
produces many works, will still have to meet many challenges along their
Christian walk. Among the first of those challenges is to learn to deal with
the very tongue that has always been with them. The tongue can be
uncontrollable, and it exerts a tremendous amount of influence, good or bad,
into the lives of all people.
The term, “Sticks and stones may break my
bones, but words will never hurt me”, is a statement that is a classic example
of “worldly wisdom”, and is in fact, “a lie”. Words can sometimes “cut to the
bone”, even more deeply than sticks and stones, and can indeed, be very
painful, and can hurt, even for a lifetime.
The words of our tongue changes only when
our “thought process” (“kardia”- “heart” in the Greek, which means “the way we
think”) changes. Our own mind is the master of our tongue, and, as Christians, our
thought process must be more reflective of GOD, and more fixed on the will of
GOD. Thereby, our goal should be, that, “we share the mind of CHRIST” in all of
our decision-making. Until “our hearts”, or, “thought processes” are changed by
the Word of GOD, we will not ever be able to tame our tongues, nor, replace “worldly
wisdom” with “the wisdom and knowledge of GOD”.
Another problem that we as humans all face
in life, whether we be Christian or non-Christian, is the problem of our own
“sin nature”, which causes us to harbor bitterness and ambition in our hearts.
As a result of that, we become moved by a world wisdom that aids us in
achieving “worldly”, “selfish ends” that leave others in ruin in our wake.
Wisdom from GOD, on the other hand, directs
us into a pure, peace-loving, and submissive way of life under GOD, that, we
will not, and cannot, find through our dealings in world wisdom.
We need to become accustomed to living by
the GODly wisdom that will ultimately bring us a harvest of righteousness
through CHRIST JESUS. We must learn to speak with thoughtful speech, and always
let our words reflect the wisdom that comes from GOD HIMSELF.
However, this does not mean that we will
not ever “offend” others, while we are “defending” the Word of GOD (the Gospel)
with our speech, in the world. And hopefully, we ourselves, as Christians, will
not be offended either, when we are “rebuked” for going against the Word of the
GOD we say we serve and represent, in this world.
A Sunday school
lesson by,
Larry D. Alexander
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