Walking With God Today 05/09/08

“See how great a forest a little fire kindles!  And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity.  The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell.”  James 3:5b-6  (NKJV).

Verse five is the first use of the word “tongue” in these verses.  James has made it clear though,  that is what he is speaking of.  He first uses the gift of teaching, and calling all who would consider being teachers to think hard about this.  It does require the use of the tongue.

We are all familiar with what forest fires can do.  Several years ago I worked as a volunteer fireman for our local volunteer fire department, which mostly dealt with grass fires and some forest fires.  In Southwest Missouri forest fires are mostly in forest of oak trees and other hardwoods, and they are not as prone to burst into a blazing furnace like places which are mostly pines.  Dry leaves on the ground, and dry brush.  Keeping the fire from the pastures, and homes is an accomplishment.  Once any forest catches fire, though, it still takes work, many men and women who can work around smoke and very hot flames, protecting themselves and one another to get the fire stopped.

James likens the tongue to a fire.  That is a very good picture.  It ravages the hearts and lives of people.  Have you ever listened to children calling one another names.  They belittle one another, badger one another, provoke one another, which sometimes leads to a fight, bruising, bleeding, and if not brought to a halt, can lead to murder, even in those adults who have not learned to control their tongue, or emotions.

There was a little children’s ditty that went something like this: “Sticks and stones may break my bones; but names will never hurt me.”  It sounds good on the surface, but is it the truth?  Not at all.  Calling others bad and evil names may not hurt physically, but it can scar them emotionally for life.  Anyone who believes tham name calling has never hurt them is probably very hard hearted, and calloused. 

One of the ways the tongue is like a fire is by being a gossip.  You may say, “Well, I don’t tell anything on other people unless its the truth.”  Let me ask you this:  If it is the truth does it need told?  Will it help the one you are telling the gossip on, or hurt them and help you?  All gossip is done for hurting the one you are talking about.  I like what Thumper the young rabbit on the Disney cartoon “Bambi” says that his father said, “If you can’t say something good about someone, don’t say nothin’ at all”.  I call that “Thumperology”, and it is pretty good “Bibleolgy” as well. 

I asked in the last study, “How many people have been murdered by the tongue?”  I don’t remember if I answered that, but the answer is probably every one who has ever lived has been murdered by someone’s tongue.  I hope you understand what I mean by that.  Someone has spoken in such vile ways that they have spoken you and I dead.  I have done the same - to my shame.

Talebearing, or it might better be called “troublemaking” setting one friend against another is done with the tongue.  When you tell one friend what another said in the confidence of your friendship about another, and you go and tell what was said, that is Talebearing.  It may not be a tale or a lie, but it causes problems, a fire if you will.  If that friend is smart, the one who told you, and the one you told, they will not trust you with confidential matters again. 

“He who goes about as a talebearer reveals secrets; therefore do not associate with  one who flatters with his lips.”  Proverbs 20:19

“Where there is no wood, the fire goes out; and where there is no talebearer, the strife ceases.”  Proverbs 26:20

The Lord willing there will be more on these verses in our next study.

Walk With God Today.

-Tim A. Blankenship