Scripture: James 3:1-12, Job 15:2-6, Isaiah 45:22-24
Most of the lessons
that we have been learning from James are about the effect that sinful ways
have on our own life. And yet today, in
lesson #5, we are cautioned to be careful in what we do and say, for it can also
have a detrimental effect on the lives of others. And
even though these acts may seldom be intentional – they are just part and
parcel of the human nature, and are very difficult to correct.
So what are these harmful
things that we can’t seem to control?
They’re the words we speak! They
don’t necessarily flow from our tongue constantly, but they can easily immerge
without our even thinking about it! Like
what you may ask?
Like gossip – those
times when we talk about others with the intent to make ourselves look better
than another person.
Like betrayal of a
confidence – those words that we have agreed to keep private, and which deserve
to be kept to ourselves, but we proceed to break our promise just the same, and
reveal that issue to others.
Like hateful words
– those that come out of a hurtful experience that we fully intend to retaliate
over.
Like deceitfulness
– those spoken words that we either know, or at least should know, that
are nothing short of lies.
Like false promises
– those that we say that we will do without fail, but never intend to carry
them out.
And the list could
go on and on. The tongue is a fearful
weapon, and one that we must always try to keep in check. So what does James have to say about the
damage that our tongue can cause?
Read James 3:1-6
There is an old saying that speaks to the fallacy of our tongue - “Better to remain silent and be thought a
fool, than to speak and remove all doubt.”
There are a number of versions of this adage, but the author of the
original saying is still unknown. But
then, I think that James approach to the concept is far better – if you have a
desire to teach others, but intend to use it to share your own opinion or
agenda on a topic of concern, then you are better off dropping the thought
altogether, and just keep quiet! The
point is that we should always stick to the truth of a matter, instead of
interjecting our own desires and fabrications.
If we stay with the thoughts of the One who is dependable, sincere and
honest and all-knowing, we will be a lot better off than if we try to put our
own spin on the issue! James tells us
that if we never make a mistake, then we must be perfect, and the evidence will
not be that we never make a mistake, but rather that we can keep our entire
self under control!
He goes on to offer examples of how little things can have such a great
and powerful effect on our lives. A bit
and bridle used by a discerning hand can guide a large animal in its benefit to
our lives. The rudder that is managed by
an experienced sailor can keep a ship on the right course and out of trouble in
the shoals of life. A small spark
unmanaged can unintentionally burn down an entire forest, but if used properly
can ignite a fire to keep us warm or prepare a meal for our consumption.
The point that he makes is that we are able to speak a lot faster than
we can usually think, and that will result in more lifetime stumbles than we
can ever correct. But if we make every
attempt to keep our speech under control, and keep from talking far ahead of
our thoughts, we’ll be able to keep evil thoughts from becoming hateful and
hurtful words much more often than if we don’t.
Read James 3:7-12
The author reminds us that while we may be able to tame and exercise
control over other creatures of God’s creating, we tend to fail miserably when
it comes to keeping ourselves under control.
Our lives, our thoughts, our actions, our words can all be used to bring
about either good or evil in this world, depending on the substance and quality
of the personal control that is exerted on ourselves. But if goodness is to thrive within us, control
must be based above and beyond our own knowledge and desires. It is only when we allow God’s command and
control to be the guiding light in our lives that we can begin to see that our
words, actions, and thoughts are true reflections of divine goodness instead of always
settling on the easier, but evil ways, of this world.
The last three verses in this passage call us to stand against
”doublemindedness” – those attempts to see things in a context that counteracts
the ways of our LORD. Can we praise
God and curse Him with the same words that spew from an uncontrolled
tongue? Can we ever truly serve God in
faithful ways when we have denied His righteous control over the direction that
we live? The obvious answer is a resounding
“NO!”
Read Job 15:2-6
The person speaking in these verses is one of the “friends” of Job who
had come to help him through His struggle.
This man’s name is Eliphaz the Temanite, and the point of his comments
are to convince Job that he has been denying the truth of his sin - a sin that
has angered God and has brought on this calamity! But we all know that Job’s story is one of his
struggle in faith that does not vary in spite of what Satan throws at him!
Interestingly, the deceitful words that Eliphaz uses to accuse the
faithful Job of infidelity is the same tactic that the world would use against
the faithful of Jesus Christ today! And
yet, these words totally miss the mark in the context they are being offered
in. But what if Job turned them around and
leveled them back at all four of his friends?
He could use the same words and never have to change even a single inflection!
But even more importantly, if these false accusations were true,
what kind of God would our LORD truly be?
Would He be worthy of our trust and allegiance? After all, it was God Himself who allowed
Satan to inflict Job with all kinds of trials – the death of his sons and
daughters and servants, the theft of his herds and flocks, the destruction of
his property, not to mention being afflicted with boils and the lies of those 4
quasi-friends!
If we can’t trust, believe, and live in all that God is and does, then
there is no hope whatsoever for all who obediently follow the ways of Jesus! But as for Eliphaz, it is not Job who has
turned against the LORD, but rather, it is Eliphaz’s tongue that has betrayed
both himself and our Mighty and Faithful God.
Read Isaiah 45:22-24
This passage would have been written after
the Northern kingdom of Israel had been conquered by the Assyrians, and the
people taken into slavery. But it is
Isaiah’s words that proclaim the truth of God, against those of Job’s friend
Eliphaz. God does not hide from us, He
does not deceive us, He has created all that there is through His love for all
people, He is honest and truthful in all that He says to us, and He alone is
worthy of our trust and obedience.
The world can say anything that they wish, but there
will be a day of reckoning, when all will be held accountable for the words
that their tongue uttered falsely against Him and His people. Remember those last 4 chapters of Job, where
the LORD addresses the faithlessness that had
been directed toward Him during the trial of Job? Even Job himself struggled with why God was
allowing these trials to wear him down.
But the King of creation gave his final answer to all
who have been involved - 1Then the Lord spoke to Job out of the storm. He said: 2 “Who
is this that obscures my plans with words without knowledge? 3 Brace yourself like
a man; I will question you, and you shall answer me. 4 “Where were you when
I laid the earth’s foundation? Tell me,
if you understand.” (Job 38:1-4) And for the next 4 chapters, God challenges
all of us to understand and explain the how’s and why’s of His creation. Job couldn’t do it, his friends didn’t have a
clue, and honestly, neither can any us – not if we want to be honest with God,
that is.
The truth is
that our tongues have no answer for any question that God directs toward us,
and His questions are, in and of themselves, the very reason that we should
give all we think, all we say, all we do, and all that we will ever be, over to
His control.
May each and
every one of us surrender our lives and our words to the only One in all
creation, who knows the complete truth of this life and beyond.
And it will
be far better for us if we do it sooner than later!
