Watch Out! There is a fire in your tongue!
Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. James 3:5-6 NIV
Tongue is the most ever dangerous among of all the parts of the body.
1. It makes great boast, lies and exaggerates
2. It is a fire
3. A world of evil
4. It contaminates the whole body
5. Full of deadly poison
6. No one came tamed it
There’s nothing you can do to tame your own tongue. James 3:7 tells us that man already tamed every animal that is in air, in the sea and in the forest and even the fiercest snakes. In fact, almost all big and wild animals can be seen in circus. It’s incredible, man can put his head on the lion’s mouth, can kiss the head of a snake and leave without any harm. Yet the tongue, which is so small, can bring a great deal of harm to a saved person if it not put in total control.
The truth is no one can control the tongue except God. He is alone can set on course our tongue not to lie, curse, exaggerate and boast (which is a form of lying).
Apostle Paul who possessed great knowledge is one good example of how God tamed his tongue from such thing, particularly from boasting. In 2 Cor 12:7, three times Paul plead to God to remove some kind of thorn in his flesh that weakens him. But God let it be in him for if God will not allow it, Paul would become conceited, arrogant, boastful and purse-pride. God control Paul’s tongue to keep him humble so grace would abound and God’s power continually flows through him.
One thing we can learn from the above, unless we let God gives us some degree of thorn in the flesh we can never ever tamed, control, and stop our tongue from lying-exaggerates-boasting. Because all of us posses knowledge and knowledge puffs up.(1 Cor :8). Therefore, as for the Christians especially the preachers and minister of the gospel, it is better of him to let God send a messenger of satan to buffet. It is the best way for it will keep him out of danger of the fire of hell and keep him humble. Always remember, the bible says, God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." James (4:6NIV )
You may wonder and ask, what is thorn in the flesh (God will allow) that satan may use to buffet or batter a saved person to keep him humble and of course to keep the tongue tamed? To better understand this matter, let’s turn to Hebrews 12:7-11,
If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons. Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live? For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but He for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness. Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
Every person that God calls as sons will subject to a so called “Divine Chastisement”. In some degree or another all believers must went through on that process, otherwise if he will not endure it, the tongue which is so small will contaminate the whole body and sets on fire of hell. Divine chastisement is a form of God’s discipline to train the most untamed, unruly and dangerous thing permanently attached inside the mouth, which is the tongue.
How then God directly chastise or discipline a saved person? The life of Job is a great example. By studying his life we could learn an important lesson we can apply in our life as Christian. Job was put to the test to prove if he remains faithful despite all odds. Not only had he become more faithful he even more became humble throughout the trials, pain, suffering, sickness and insults he experienced. He endured everything and not a single evil word came out from his tongue.
Consider this truth, every Christian all over the world suffer in some form or another and if right now you think you have trials of many kinds the bible said, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything”. James 1:2-4
Whatever would come in our way, may it be a messenger of satan or thorn in the flesh, may it be afflictions, sufferings, trials of many kinds or personal problems we face, just let it pass through. We can ask God why it is happening but let us be steadfast and unmovable, take no thoughts of complaining. Just hold on. God is doing exactly as what he intended for us to be and that is to become a tamed-tongue-children of God. A child of God that has a mouth and tongue well trained to avoid any sin of lying, exaggeration and boasting.
Do you have any suffering right now? If you do, then, Give praise to the Lord! If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name. 1 Pet 4:15-16
Let our tongue utter a word of encouragement for ourselves! It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees. Ps 119:71
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