The Tongue: The Message Behind the Song
THE TONGUE
Have you ever heard the saying, “sticks and stones will
break my bones but names will never hurt me”?
Isn’t that one of the biggest lies you’ve ever heard?
Whoever came up with that has obviously never seen the
end result of destructive words. There are a lot of verses
in the Bible about the dangers of a tongue out of control,
but I was already painfully aware of those dangers long
before I came across those verses. Whenever I say
things in the heat of anger or resentment, it’s like
watching one of those old wartime videos of a weapon of
mass destruction. There’s nothing left of the relationship
but regret and a small hope that one-day the damage
might be able to be repaired.
James 3 is right, “…the tongue is a restless evil, full of
deadly poison.” Trying to control the tongue is a life long
commitment of daily concentrated effort. Trying to do it
alone is impossible. I believe that’s why God has to give
us a self-control that is not our own because it’s obvious
that my own attempt at self-control is futile.
Not too far from where I live, there is a peach farm. They
grow more than just peaches there, but peaches are
what they are known for. As I was driving by this place I
could see acres and acres of trees with these brightly
colored globes hanging all over them and being the
brilliant person I am, I was able to tell that these were
their famed peach trees. No matter how hard they try
these trees would never be able to produce anything else
but peaches.
Galatians 5:22 gives a list of what is referred to as the
fruit of the Holy Spirit. One of these fruits is self-control.
No matter how hard we try we could never produce self-
THE TONGUE
Have you ever heard the saying, “sticks and stones will
break my bones but names will never hurt me”?
Isn’t that one of the biggest lies you’ve ever heard?
Whoever came up with that has obviously never seen the
end result of destructive words. There are a lot of verses
in the Bible about the dangers of a tongue out of control,
but I was already painfully aware of those dangers long
before I came across those verses. Whenever I say
things in the heat of anger or resentment, it’s like
watching one of those old wartime videos of a weapon of
mass destruction. There’s nothing left of the relationship
but regret and a small hope that one-day the damage
might be able to be repaired.
James 3 is right, “…the tongue is a restless evil, full of
deadly poison.” Trying to control the tongue is a life long
commitment of daily concentrated effort. Trying to do it
alone is impossible. I believe that’s why God has to give
us a self-control that is not our own because it’s obvious
that my own attempt at self-control is futile.
Not too far from where I live, there is a peach farm. They
grow more than just peaches there, but peaches are
what they are known for. As I was driving by this place I
could see acres and acres of trees with these brightly
colored globes hanging all over them and being the
brilliant person I am, I was able to tell that these were
their famed peach trees. No matter how hard they try
these trees would never be able to produce anything else
but peaches.
Galatians 5:22 gives a list of what is referred to as the
fruit of the Holy Spirit. One of these fruits is self-control.
No matter how hard we try we could never produce self-
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James 3:3-12
When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey
us, we can turn the whole animal. Or take ships as an example.
Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they
are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to
go. 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. All kinds
of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being
tamed and have been tamed by man, but no man can tame the
tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.
With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we
curse men, who have been made in God's likeness. Out of the
same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should
not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same
spring? My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine
bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.
New International Version (NIV) Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible
Society
When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey
us, we can turn the whole animal. Or take ships as an example.
Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they
are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to
go. 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. All kinds
of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being
tamed and have been tamed by man, but no man can tame the
tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.
With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we
curse men, who have been made in God's likeness. Out of the
same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should
not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same
spring? My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine
bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.
New International Version (NIV) Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible
Society
control. We might be able to manufacture something resembling it or something that will suffice as “self-control” for a while,
but in the end, if you want self-control (real self-control), you have get it from the One who originally created it. In and of
ourselves, we don’t have self-control. As a matter of fact, if you take a look at the rest of the list of the fruit of the Holy Spirit,
we can see that this list is a list of what the Holy Spirit does not what we do. That’s what “fruit of the Holy Spirit” means; it’s
a result of what the Holy Spirit does just like a peach is a result of what a peach tree does. In other words there are many
things that we have to depend on God to do.
Actually, it means that Jesus has to be more than a Savior; He has to be Lord of our lives as well. If we don’t allow Him to be
Lord, then our fruit will be what we produce instead of what He produces through us and that sort of fruit has a bad smell to
it.
Not allowing the Lord to have control of my tongue turns me into a man that bears the fruit of bitterness and resentment
instead of love, peace, joy, etc.
Change me oh Lord. Create in me a new heart, one that is filled with Your love.
Help me to let my words be few. Help me to learn to think it through.
I want to listen with my heart. I want to listen with Your love.
Don’t let my tongue take control…
but in the end, if you want self-control (real self-control), you have get it from the One who originally created it. In and of
ourselves, we don’t have self-control. As a matter of fact, if you take a look at the rest of the list of the fruit of the Holy Spirit,
we can see that this list is a list of what the Holy Spirit does not what we do. That’s what “fruit of the Holy Spirit” means; it’s
a result of what the Holy Spirit does just like a peach is a result of what a peach tree does. In other words there are many
things that we have to depend on God to do.
Actually, it means that Jesus has to be more than a Savior; He has to be Lord of our lives as well. If we don’t allow Him to be
Lord, then our fruit will be what we produce instead of what He produces through us and that sort of fruit has a bad smell to
it.
Not allowing the Lord to have control of my tongue turns me into a man that bears the fruit of bitterness and resentment
instead of love, peace, joy, etc.
Change me oh Lord. Create in me a new heart, one that is filled with Your love.
Help me to let my words be few. Help me to learn to think it through.
I want to listen with my heart. I want to listen with Your love.
Don’t let my tongue take control…