Call of the Wild: a Journey Through the Book of JamesSample

The Muscle that can Move Mountains

Before we begin, let’s take a moment for a mental exercise. Ask yourself this question, what is the strongest muscle in my body?

Think about it.

Maybe you guessed the quadriceps, the abdomen, or maybe the trapezius. What if I told you it was your tongue? The tongue is incredibly strong. Detached from any bones, it is able to fully manipulate its own orientation, which is why it’s useful for eating, drinking, and of course, speaking.

In James 3, the author tells us that the tongue isn’t only strong physically, but it’s also strong spiritually. He likens the tongue to a rudder on a large boat, steering it through the ocean of life all by the words that are spoken.

Our words have potency. They can inspire someone to be their best, or cause someone to feel their worst.

Our words come with a responsibility. James tells us that we are supposed to use our words to share the love and grace of God with those around us rather than idly spraying deception and insults.

Our words are supposed to engender within us a reliability. People should seek us out because they have come to benefit from the words of life that we speak.

How do we learn to speak this way? It’s so much more than breaking out the ‘swear jar’ or washing our kids’ mouths out with soap if they speak rudely. Rather, it’s examining the heart behind what we’re saying. Are we speaking from a place of humility or pride? Are our words agreeing with God or the devil?

This not only applies to how we speak to others, but also how we speak to ourselves. How do you speak to you? Don’t stomach negative self-talk. Instead, allow what God says about you to encourage you.

Just like a tiny spark can start a forest fire, negative words can create a world of pain. Oftentimes, our tongue gets out of control and starts fires. In those times, God has given us a tool: we fight fire with fire. Acts tells us that the Holy Spirit is a tongue of fire that we can use to speak life and love to a broken world, but it’s up to us to use it to bless those around us.