Control Yourselves... The Book of James Bible Series

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Hello, friend!  I hope your summer is going well - I can't believe we are already near August! Which may or may not explain why this is technically a few days late! It's fine. We're fine. Everything is fine. (For real.)
We're back with another installment in our Book of James Bible Series and today we dig into the first 5 verses of Chapter 3! 

Let's go! Here is our portion of Scripture for today: James Chapter 3, verses 1-5! We get to focus on one of my favorite subjects: The Power of Your Words!

Let's read it together here, starting with The Passion Translation Bible:

"My dear brothers and sisters, don’t be so eager to become a teacher in the church since you know that we who teach are held to a higher standard of judgment. We all fail in many areas, but especially with our words. Yet if we’re able to bridle the words we say we are powerful enough to control ourselves in every way, and that means our character is mature and fully developed. Horses have bits and bridles in their mouths so that we can control and guide their large body. And the same with mighty ships, though they are massive and driven by fierce winds, yet they are steered by a tiny rudder at the direction of the person at the helm.

And so the tongue is a small part of the body yet it carries great power! Just think of how a small flame can set a huge forest ablaze." (The Passion Translation)

I can still remember back to the first time I read this portion of Scripture. I was a new believer and couldn't figure out why James was so hard on those wanting to teach... I mean, are people really pushing and shoving their way to the podium? (Sadly - the answer is yes. They were and they often still are! Many people may feel called to a stage -- whether they crave the spotlight or truly just feel their gifting requires it... James is here to tell us all to cool our jets and count the cost! I think it does us well to remember that teaching others and pointing them in the way of Christ actually does put us under a higher standard. So many are eager to come across as experts or to stand in a position to teach others --but we forget to make sure we are teaching THE Truth and not just our truth, ya know what I mean?

I also love the visuals James uses here... and the encouragement that if/when we are finally able to bridle the words we say, we will be able to control ourselves and will prove that we are mature!

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Let's read it in The Voice:

"My brothers and sisters, do not encourage a large number of you to become teachers because teachers will be held to a higher standard. We all stumble along the way. If a person never speaks hurtful words or shouts in anger or profanity, then he has achieved perfection. The one who can control his tongue can also control the rest of his body. It’s like when we place a metal bit into a horse’s mouth to ride it; we can control its entire body with the slightest movement of our hands. Have you ever seen a massive ship sailing effortlessly across the water? Despite its immense size and the fact that it is propelled by mighty winds, a small rudder directs the ship in any direction the pilot chooses. It’s just the same with our tongues! It’s a small muscle, capable of marvelous undertakings.

And do you know how many forest fires begin with a single ember from a small campfire?" (The Voice)

Again with the imagery! So good!

I love this line: "If a person never speaks hurtful words or shouts in anger or profanity, then he has achieved perfection." (I mean... I'm pretty chill, Y'all... and I take seriously the power of my words so I learned a long time ago to hold my words and wield them carefully... but NEVER is a big word! I'm pretty sure Jesus is the only One who can say that without any doubt!) 

And also this one: "It's a small muscle, capable of marvelous undertakings. And do you know how many forest fires begin with a single ember from a small campfire?" 

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Let's read it in The Amplified Bible:

"Not many [of you] should become teachers [serving in an official teaching capacity], my brothers and sisters, for you know that we [who are teachers] will be judged by a higher standard [because we have assumed greater accountability and more condemnation if we teach incorrectly]. For we all stumble and sin in many ways. If anyone does not stumble in what he says [never saying the wrong thing], he is a perfect man [fully developed in character, without serious flaws], able to bridle his whole body and rein in his entire nature [taming his human faults and weaknesses]. Now if we put bits into the horses’ mouths to make them obey us, we guide their whole body as well. And look at the ships. Even though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are still directed by a very small rudder wherever the impulse of the helmsman determines. In the same sense, the tongue is a small part of the body, and yet it boasts of great things.

See [by comparison] how great a forest is set on fire by a small spark!" (The Amplified Bible)

Again - it's the whole 'we have assumed greater accountability and more condemnation if we teach incorrectly' part that catches my breath! Listen, as one who has taught --this verse is sobering because, well-- if you teach long enough, you will find you taught things that were incorrect! 

We grow and learn more and allow the Spirit to teach and correct us. Our theology changes or shifts over time and hopefully we course-correct in a way that leads others to grow and learn along with us!

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Now comes one of my favorite translations: The Message Bible:

"Don’t be in any rush to become a teacher, my friends. Teaching is highly responsible work. Teachers are held to the strictest standards. And none of us is perfectly qualified. We get it wrong nearly every time we open our mouths. If you could find someone whose speech was perfectly true, you’d have a perfect person, in perfect control of life.

A bit in the mouth of a horse controls the whole horse. A small rudder on a huge ship in the hands of a skilled captain sets a course in the face of the strongest winds. A word out of your mouth may seem of no account, but it can accomplish nearly anything—or destroy it!

It only takes a spark, remember, to set off a forest fire. A careless or wrongly placed word out of your mouth can do that. By our speech we can ruin the world, turn harmony to chaos, throw mud on a reputation, send the whole world up in smoke and go up in smoke with it, smoke right from the pit of hell." (The Message Bible)

Once again, Eugene Peterson BRINGS IT! I mean, "A word out of your mouth may seem of no account, but it can accomplish nearly anything—or destroy it!" 

Here we go, friends!  What we say is VITAL... to ourselves, to our family, our friends... co-workers, neighbors, strangers - in real life and ...wait for iiiiitttt... online!  I know.  We should know this --we DO, it's just that sometimes we forget. We forget that our words wield mighty power and we are made in the image of God... our CREATOR.  (You know... the One Who used WORDS to CREATE THINGS!) 

Full Stop.

Eugene's translation here goes on to say. "By our speech we can ruin the world, turn harmony to chaos, throw mud on a reputation, send the whole world up in smoke and go up in smoke with it..."  You guys... let's not forget this Truth: Our words Matter... they make things... manifest things... they bind and they loose things! 

Imagine if, instead of turning harmony to chaos, we turned chaos to harmony? What if, rather than wounding with our words, we purpose to heal instead? How about we decide ahead of time to control ourselves by controlling our tongues and using our words to create the world we want... one of Love, Life, Liberty... one of Friendship and Family and Faith... Just imagine how we could change the world and bring the Kingdom closer!

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Let's pray: 

Father God, 

We are so grateful for Grace! We come to You and are well aware that You are the Only One who is perfect and able to be perfect! Thank You for forgiveness when we fail and for the way You love us and lead us into becoming more and more like You!  Help us to not strive to be the Head... to not long for spotlights and platforms, but to follow You wherever You lead. (We know oftentimes that means spotlights and platforms --but not always... and those are never the goal! Help us to not take teaching or leadership lightly but to remember that those kinds of callings also mean a higher standard to live up to --and a heart soft and an ear open to correction so we don't mislead ourselves and any who may be following us as we follow You!)

Holy Spirit, remind us to tame our tongue... to not let it run without any boundaries or guidelines... help us remember to use words that bless... words that love and heal and help, rather than words that gossip and tear down and wound! Enable us to be mindful of every word out of our mouths - even though they may seem unimportant --we know our words hold power to create... or destroy! 

Lord, we ask You to interrupt us if/when necessary... help us to not start fires unaware.  Help us to guard our hearts and our words... and choose them with purpose, on purpose! 

For the King and His Kingdom, 

In Jesus' Name!

Amen!

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It feels good to be in Chapter 3... we'll be back in a couple of weeks with our next installment in this James series!  If you somehow just happened upon us or if you missed a post along the way, you can always go HERE and scroll to the bottom to find each installment of this series as it is published!

As always, until next time, let's purpose to: