James 3:1-12

Remember last week we talked about the fact that our faith works and does not remain idle. Today we are going to talk about the "work" of the tongue and the importance of having that tiny part of our body under control.

First, James speaks to those desiring to be teachers. Teachers or Rabbis were highly esteemed and honored among the people and everyone wanted the focused attention they received. James says not to desire to be a teacher because with the position comes great responsibility and that teachers will be judged more strictly. The reason is that a teacher has the awesome responsibility of directing other peoples lives. If a teacher does not walk what he speaks, he will be accountable for that before God. You see, if you are a teacher you not only have a responsibility for yourself but for those that are receiving your instruction.

We looked at some recent examples that we have seen in the news or personally in our lives. It seems that a lot of people think it is wonderful to have a platform to speak and just want to be heard but their lives may speak something totally opposite. Remember last week when we said, "what you do speaks so loud I can not hear what you say." That would be true of a lot of teachers in the church today. Our words need to be words of truth that prompt action. James makes allowance for the fact that we will all say or do the wrong thing sometime because we are not perfect, only Jesus is. However, our goal is to ask God to transform our hearts so that we might speak the things that are encouraging and beneficial for the instruction of those around us.

We have the ability to control our tongue and what comes out of our mouth.
James addresses two specific points about the tongue. First, he says to bridle our tongues. The illustration is of a horse being bridled and controlled by his mouth. If the mouth is controlled then the whole body is controlled. We are in need of controlling our tongues because it speaks of what is in our mind and heart.

Read I Timothy 1:5-7

Second, the tongue is not to be used for boasting.
Read Psalms 12:1-5
Psalms 73: 1-17

We can use our tongues to bless or curse. What benefit is it to us if we are on our faces before God and experience the in filling of His Spirit but when we face other people we curse them by being difficult, unkind, untruthful or a poor excuse for a friend. James encourages us be transformed by God in our hearts and then to speak blessing to one another.

One of the members of our group said at the beginning of the year that she and her husband had decided to only speak kind words about each other to others. What a great example of blessing to all of us. As mothers, we are teachers. We have the responsibility of setting the tone in our homes and directing our children. A great place to start is to speak kind words to those under our roof.

Until next, week pray for the power to be blessed by God and then extend that by speaking blessing to someone in your life.

We will not meet next week. So, see you the next!
Happy Easter. He is Risen!