Thursday, October 8 –
In our continued reading thru the New Testament in a year, we’ve been reading in the book of James. Today, our reading is longer but contextually connected. We’ll read from James 3:1 – 4:12. Please come back that we look together at the overall context and message.
James is a very practical teacher. While there are some doctrinal elements in his writing, most of his letter to these “scattered” saints is very practical – rubber-meets-the-road sort of stuff. This longer reading is all connected by the theme of the way we use words, our speech, which flows out of our hearts and minds in daily life. He begins with those who speak a lot – teachers, pastors, who he reminds will be judged with greater strictness.
“Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness” (3:1).
I’ve always found this sentence to be sobering. Why are teachers judged in a greater way? The teacher, pastor, is a leader and has the responsibility of influencing the learner, but not from a position of superiority, for the teacher is also – or should be – a learner. This position means the use of speech, and speech is not limited to what is spoken out loud, but also that which is written.
The teacher uses speech, but so does everyone else. Speech is a common human trait, and the various ways in which speaking is done is James’ opening to point out the Christian’s use of their tongue. Using three metaphors: the bridle for a horse, the rudder of a ship, and a small fire that can burst into a forest ablaze, he reminds us that our speaking – our tongues – have great potential for either doing things well or causing great harm -
“For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body. If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things…a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire!” (3:2-5).
A horse’s bridle is small but controls the powerful horse. The rudder is small, but controls the ship; and, a small fire can set an entire forest on fire! So also, our tongue, i.e., our speech, is a tiny part of who we are, but In our world, speech is done in many different mediums. As Christians, we are called to a higher standard than the world. I am appalled by the world of non-believers who believe gossip, slander, lying, blasphemy are acceptable norms; but even more appalled by Christians who do not comprehend the power of those things to corrupt our integrity and character before Christ.
James does not shrink back from it -
“ And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell” (3:6).
If we as followers of Jesus do not exemplify guarded speech, speaking blessing instead of cursing, how can we expect anything to change around us. We who are “salt” and “light” (Matthew 5). will find our speech to “stain the whole body”. Does it not strike us that the person who defies these boundaries is none other than Satan who has always lied and sought to divide people through hatred, malice, and slander?
“ For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and saltwater? Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water” (3:7-12).
James says, the tongue is harder to control than a wild beast and is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. Hyperbole? Perhaps, but it is true that controlling our speech is not easy. He makes a point that ought to make each of us pause in anything we say, write, or communicate in any way – that our speech is used at times in a godly way to bless, and at other times in an evil way to curse – such a contradictory purpose! The bigger issue is that it is done to others who are “are made in the image (likeness) of God”. When James asks whether spring water yields both fresh and saltwater, and can fig trees bear olives, or grapevines produce figs, he is remembering Jesus’ words – “You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes or figs from thistles? (Matthew 7:16).
James had previously said that we see faith by works, and now he adds that we see the wisdom in believers by their godly character – “Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace” (3:13-18).
Wisdom is on display in conduct that is first of all meek, and will not give way to jealousy or selfish ambition – which are the standard of a fallen world (earthly), without the Spirit (unspiritual), and derived from Satan’s influence (demonic). He makes it clear, this kind of behavior is evil, vile, and stands in deep contrast to the wisdom God produces in those who want to follow Christ. The wisdom God gives – first is a gift from God (James 1:5) – reflects the character of God: pure, peaceable, gentle, open to reason, merciful, demonstrating the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:23), without partiality, and sincere! If that doesn’t move us to think about how we use our speech, nothing probably will. Planting the seeds of this kind of behavior yields a “harvest of righteousness”. Can we make a decided effort to yield our minds, thoughts, speech to God instead of following the ways of the world? For the sake of the Kingdom of God, and the Glory of God, as well as our commitment to Jesus Christ to be his followers, I hope we could.
The chapter division is not consistent with the issues at hand. James is not done talking about how we use, or misuse, our use of speaking – “What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you?” (4:1). The connection to what he was just writing about is obvious. What we do with our speaking – when it is uncontrolled and like the world’s – creates the quarrels and fights. They are the result of seeking to control others, exalt our ego, demonstrate our superiority in thinking, and flows from our keeping God out of the picture – “You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore, whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God” (4:2-4).
Most of us would argue, “I’ve not murdered anyone!” Yet, our standard is not on the level of God’s Kingdom but solely rooted in a world that is at “enmity with God”. Jesus reminds his disciples in the teaching on the Mount (Matthew 5 – 7), that speaking ill of another person is the same thing as murdering them (Matthew 5:21,22)! In other words, our standards are way too low when we assume we have the “right” to say whatever we want to say, in any way we choose to say it. If we put God into the area of our speaking, we have to take time to comprehend the motives behind our desires. Perhaps we need to re-think this. What if we began with “ask”, instead of “do not ask” (4:2)? God is the one who gives generously to those who ask (1:5), and envy, fighting, quarreling obviously are a result of failing to ask. Why do we forget that God cares about our needs? Perhaps worse is why do we believe that our position is God’s?
In a succinct short series of exhortations, he reminds them, and us, of how our speech can be shaped by God: God is jealous for us (4:5), and gives grace to the humble (4:6). If we submit ourselves to God, choosing to make His authority our main goal (4:7), the Devil will not be able to influence us. Therefore, we can, and should, daily draw near to God – in prayer, praise, and his word – and he will promise to draw near to us (4:8). Cleansing, confession (both acts of Repentance), as well as learning to deal seriously with internal desires, motives, attitudes, are pathways to joy, humility, and God (4:8b – 10). Our humility, willingness to be brutally honest, seeking God’s ways in how to live, and speak will gain God’s favor over any other thing (4:10b).
The final words in this section return to the beginning where this theme first began – “Do not speak evil against one another, …who are you to judge your neighbor”? (4:11-12 abbreviated). Perhaps we can end this by summarizing what James’ wrote: How we talk to, live with, treat others is important. Since all people are made in the image of God, we must not ever play God and think we can take on His role, believing we have God’s mind and are always right. The world we live in – on all levels - thrives on quarreling, slander, judging, while taking the position that they are only stating the facts. I’m not suggesting we ignore the opinions, but as a Christian, can we rise above the standards of speaking that the world embraces to a standard that is Christlike? Our language either tears down and seeks a self-glorifying “I’m right” attitude, or it listens first, seeks understanding, and chooses to be humble, even if we’re disagreeing with someone. For me, all of this is challenging. I am a teacher, so the standard is high. Yet. at the end of my life, I would love it if people said: “he was humble and kind”.
Peace
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