FBC Morning Light – October 10, 2022

Well, a good Monday morning to you. We start off a new week today and today we're reading in the book of James, James chapter 3. And this is a really challenging section of the book of James, isn't it?

Because of its focus on the tongue and our difficulty in controlling that little member of our lives. I don't know about you, but I can think back over the course of my life and some of the most, some of the memories that stick out to me the most are memories that have to do with something that someone said to me.

Sometimes what was said was very painful, was very hurtful and deliberately so. It was intended to be hurtful. And it gives lie to the little saying, sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me or words will never hurt me.

No, not at all. And everyone listening to my voice knows the truth of that fact, that words can be very hurtful and very powerful. So I can remember very specific instances where even in childhood, somebody said something to me that was cruel and hurtful.

And I remember it was like it was yesterday. On the other hand, I can remember occasions, not very many of them, but I can remember occasions when somebody said something very positive and encouraging to me.

And it actually influenced a course of action that I would have taken, that I took and a direction that I took. And all of this really comes to illustrate the reality of what James writes in James chapter three.

He speaks of our tongue like the bit that's put in a horse's mouth, that it controls the whole horse, or like a small rudder on a boat. This little rudder can direct the whole course of that ship. And then he says, even so the tongue is a little member and it boasts great things.

He talks about some ways in which the tongue can be negatively powerful. He says, it's like a forest fire, a little fire that kindles a forest fire. Or he says, it's among our members, it defiles the whole body, sets on fire the course of nature and is set on fire of hell.

It's like a very destructive, before you know it, the tongue can unleash a forest fire. Says the tongue can no man tame, it's an unruly evil. So the tongue can be very powerful in tearing somebody down, in hurting them.

It can be very powerful in setting a direction of life for yours or for someone else's. I think many young people who have grown up in homes where they've been belittled and ridiculed and they suffer for it in adulthood, have a very difficult time making good decisions simply because of what someone's tongue, a parent's tongue, did to them as a child.

It brings out a contrast in verses 8 and 9, 10. He says, with the tongue we bless our God and Father and with it we curse men who've been made in the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing.

My brethren, these things ought not so to be. Has this ever been your experience? You go to church, you had a great time at church, you sang the hymns, you worshiped the Lord, you heard the message and you appreciated what was heard.

But then you left church and even maybe riding home, you found yourself criticizing somebody else at church. Has that ever happened to you? I wonder how many times you've been the victim of that. I know as a pastor that's one of the things, it's kind of a joke in the ministerial circles, that people go home after church and have roast pastor for dinner.

Well, I hope that doesn't happen very often, but I am also realistic enough to know that it does happen. So people come to church and with their mouth they bless God, they praise God, they sing the praises, they pray and all those things that are good and useful functions of the tongue.

But then sitting at dinner they complain about something the pastor said or how long the sermon was or whatever. So with the mouth bless God and with the same mouth curse men. As James says, brethren, these things ought not so to be.

He challenges us to guard our tongue, to watch our tongue, to control our tongue. May we be encouraged today to stop and think about what we say and how we say it. Tongue's powerful. So our Father and our God, I pray that you would remind us of this very important truth today, that our tongue can be very helpful or very hurtful.

Help us, Father, help us to control this little member, we pray in Jesus' name. Amen. All right, well have a good rest of your Monday, a wonderful day, and I hope your week gets off to a great start. God bless.