The Fiery Power of the Tongue
You’ve probably heard it said that “Sticks and Stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me.” It’s the kind of thing people say to bullies, but whether we’ve been the victim or the perpetrator, I think we all know that names do hurt. The pain of words might be different from the pain caused by sticks and stones, but the damage is real. So we probably should be careful with what we say.
James understood this truth. In the very first chapter of his letter, James wrote that “if anyone appears to be ‘religious’ but cannot control his tongue, he deceives himself and we may be sure that his religion is useless” (Jms. 1:26 JB Phillips). James writes this message about the power of the tongue right before he gives his definition of religion that is “pure and undefiled before God.” James takes up the subject of the tongue once again in chapter 3, where he suggests that the tongue is like a forest fire set by Hell itself. That does sound dangerous!
James directs this word about the use of the tongue first and foremost to preachers and teachers since we hold positions of influence in our congregations. It appears that my calling as a preacher could be rather dangerous. You see, according to James, teachers and preachers “will be judged with greater strictness.”
While James may have people like me in mind that doesn’t mean he’s letting everybody else off the hook. He just wants the preachers to know that they should set the example. Besides we do a lot of talking! Words have consequences. After all, as the gospel song reminds us “it only takes a spark to get a fire going.” Kurt Kaiser may have had something more positive in mind when he wrote these words, but I think they apply to the use and misuse of our words.
James’ appeal to the power of a forest fire is one I resonate with since I grew up on the West Coast. As you may have heard, forest and grass fires have become more common and destructive in recent years out west. But I learned about forest fires back when I was a child. I remember learning the lesson of Smokey the Bear, who told us that “only you can prevent forest fires.” But it wasn’t just Smokey who taught me that lesson. Mr. Gray was our neighbor in Mount Shasta, California, and he was a Fire Control Officer with the U.S. Forest Service. Since I admired Mr. Gray, I paid attention to the lessons he and Smokey taught us. I learned that an unattended campfire could set a forest ablaze. The same was true of a cigarette butt thrown out a car window. Remember it “only takes a spark to get a fire going.” As we’re seeing, extreme heat, strong winds, and drought can combine to turn a tiny spark into a raging forest fire that leaves death and destruction in its wake. The same is true for the tongue!
The key here is this. Small things can have great power. It might be a spark. It could be a rudder that guides a ship. It could be the tongue, which if left unbridled can lead to bad things. This message has become even more real to us over the past two years as the COVID-19 virus has spread across the globe, leaving death and injury in its wake.
One thing to remember about James is that he can be rather direct in his statements. But, he does understand human nature. He probably saw the destructive power of the tongue operating in the churches. He might have even observed it in his own life.
If I’m honest with myself, I must confess that I don’t always bridle my tongue as I should. I’ve said many things over the course of my life that I regret, words that have hurt others, including members of my family.
The truth is we’ve probably all been perpetrators and victims of loose lips. It might be a flippant remark about someone’s weight or their clothing or the way they performed a particular task. Even if we didn’t mean to be malicious, we may have humiliated this person. While it would be nice if only sticks and stones broke bones, and words never hurt us, personal experience suggests otherwise. Words can leave lasting scars and even destroy lives.
What was true back in the day when people might pass notes or whisper gossip behind your back, has become even more dangerous with the advent of social media. I’m not against social media. I use it all the time, but it can be dangerous when used inappropriately. That’s because it extends the range of the damage.
It’s become commonplace to hear about a young person committing suicide after a rumor gets spread about them on social media. It doesn’t matter whether the message is true or not, the fact that it got spread around so widely and quickly damaged the person’s reputation and self-image. In their embarrassment, they decide to kill themselves. This should be a warning about the power of the tongue.
The Wisdom of Sirach isn’t in our “Protestant Bibles” but it offers a word of advice that parallels what James has to say. In fact, James probably knew this book and this saying.
If you blow on a spark, it will glow; if you spit on it, it will be put out; yet both come out of your mouth. Curse the gossips and the double-tongued, for they destroy the peace of many. (Sirach 28:12-13).
Paul also knew about the power of the tongue, because he listed gossip among the expressions of wickedness present in the world (Rom. 1:29). So, if you’re prone to gossip, you might want to reconsider!
As I read this passage, I can see how relevant it is to our time. When I read this, I think of the politicians and influencers who believe it’s not just appropriate to insult others, but it’s their duty. If they think it’s okay, then should it surprise us that large numbers of people think they are free to say whatever is on their mind at the time. Because of this, we’ve watched as a certain crassness has come to dominate many conversations. After all, the Constitution guarantees us our freedom of speech. To say otherwise is political correctness. But, as Paul put it: “‘All things are lawful,’ but not all things are beneficial. ‘All things are lawful,’ but not all things build up” (1 Cor. 10:23). James adds that with the same tongue we both bless God and curse our neighbor whom God created and loves. That is not how it should be!
James is hopeful but a bit pessimistic about our ability to contain the tongue. He writes that animals can be tamed, but no one seems able to tame the tongue, which is a “restless evil, full of deadly poison.” Nevertheless, James encourages us to bridle the tongue so that instead of cursing our neighbors we can bless them.
James does have a cure in mind. That cure can be found in the command to “love your neighbor as you love yourself.” James calls this the Royal Law and asks us to use our tongues in a way that reflects that Law. If we can do this, then we will have moved a long way toward a “religion that is pure and undefiled before God.”
Preached by:
Dr. Robert D. Cornwall
Pulpit Supply
First Presbyterian Church
Troy, Michigan
September 12, 2021
Pentecost 16B
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