Words

"I would rather play with forked lightning, or take in hand living wires with their fiery current, than speak a reckless word against any servant of Christ, or idly repeat the slanderous darts which thousands of Christians are hurling on others, to the hurt of their own souls and bodies." -A.B. Simpson

I was reading through the book of James yesterday and came across one of the most convicting passages in all of Scripture, at least for me personally, specifically in James 3. The passage dealt with the topic of our words, our mouths and how important and yet how sinful they are. I am so often shocked at what comes out of my mouth; I can think of numerous times in which I wish that I could just suck back up the words I said or rewind the tape, but truth be told, words once they leave your mouth can never be taken back. The tongue however has great power, I think we underestimate the power of our words as the tongue can speak both positively and negatively and often times because of our sinful flesh the latter occurs. If you think about it for a moment I am sure you can think of times that you yourself have been hurt by words that someone carelessly or even purposely spoke towards you or even about you, and those words will never be erased (although forgiveness takes place the words were said). And on the flip time I am sure, just as I can, that you can think of a time when you have said something that you wished you would have never said.

In James 3:2-12 we read...

"We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check. When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water."

Talk about convicting! The only person on this planet that ever spoke without a word of gossip, slander, lie, or anything not edifying to others or honoring to the Lord was the God-man Jesus Christ. But just because we know that on this side of heaven we are not going to be "perfect" does that mean that we just give up? Absolutely not! It does not leave us exempt from striving towards holiness for He commands it.

The anaolgies used here in chapter 3 are so interesting, James speaks of small things that have the power to control a lot and likens it to the fact that although the tongue is a very small part of the body, it has the ability to influence EVERYTHING in life. John MacArthur expounds on the fire analogy and explains, "like fire, the tongue's sinful words can spread destruction rapidly, or as its accompanying smoke, those words can permeate and ruin everything around it"; that my friend is the power of your words. In Proverbs 18:21 we read that, "The tongue has the power of life and death".

James goes on to explain that out of the same mouth come blessing and cursing. How often have we went to church to worship the Lord and at church we have gossiped or slandered someone else name? How often have we said a prayer in the morning and on shortly after sent a text message to a friend talking badly about someone or something? The truth is brutal but we must see it and face the reality that we so often use our tongues in the most counter opposing ways. But when you logicaly think about it how is that even possible?? I am so often guilty of this and many times without it even phasing me will say something that should never have come out of my mouth because one it is not glorifying to God and secondly it doesn't edify anyone else. Many Christians think that this specific passage is only talking about foul language/cursing when in reality it is talking about ANY kind of language or ANY words that are not going to build up/encourage another or glorify Christ.

But how do we control this? How do we make sure that we are using our words in a way that would most honor the Lord and encourage others? How do we make sure that our words are not both of light and of dark or of good and evil? It all begins in the heart, whatever you are saturating and filling your heart/mind with is going to influence you the most. So if you are in the Word, meditating on Truths of Scripture and spending time in fellowship with those who will encourage and sharpen you you are going to be spill out what goes in, and that will be things that are lovely and pure and true(Philippians 4:8) as opposed to things that are unrighteous. So it begins there. We read in Luke 6:45, "The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks." So what is in your heart is going to translate onto your lips...kind of a scary thought when you begin to think about what comes out of your mouth huh?!

But the comfort, encouragement, and hope in it all is that God gives us the ability to speak rightly, to use our words to encourage, to edify one another. We have power in our words.. When you start looking at it that way you may be more careful to choose what comes out of your mouth. Oh to be used by the Savior as a tool with your words! In Hebrews 3:13 we read, "But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness." Let us do that, lets be known for the good that comes out of our mouth so that those around us may look at us and glorify our Father in heaven! I urge you brothers and sisters, use your words as a source of life!