The Forest Fire of Our Tongue

If you’ve have seen the side of a mountain that has been ravaged by a forest fire you know that it has taken beauty and turned it into barrenness. The words we speak and in this age of social media, the ones we type, can destroy and injure something even more precious to God than trees. The Book of James has a lot to say about the tongue and it’s accurate to say that our tongues are too often like fire.

James 3:5-6
So also the tongue is a small part of the body, and yet it boasts of great things. See how great a forest is set aflame by such a small fire!  And the tongue is a fire, the very world of iniquity; the tongue is set among our members as that which defiles the entire body, and sets on fire the course of our life, and is set on fire by hell.

In my study of James, chapter 3 this morning I found this quote from Warren Wiersbe, “Our words can start fires.” He then went on to quote Proverbs 26:20-21
“For lack of wood the fire goes out, And where there is no whisperer, contention quiets down.  Like charcoal to hot embers and wood to fire, So is a contentious man to kindle strife.”

Listen to James as he explains the truth of our tongues.

James 3:8-10
But no one can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil and full of deadly poison.  With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God; from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be this way.

Did you catch that? The same tongue that we bless God with is the one we curse men with. And it ought not be that way. We go to church on Sunday to worship and praise God. Then as soon as we hit the gathering area just outside of the sanctuary where we just offered worship, we gossip and talk poorly of people far too often. Maybe some of us hold on to the spirit of worship, until that guy cuts us off in traffic on the way to lunch. Or the waitress gets our order wrong. Listen to James as he gives an analogy of our tongue.

James 3:11-12
Does a fountain send out from the same opening both fresh and bitter water?  Can a fig tree, my brethren, produce olives, or a vine produce figs? Nor can salt water produce fresh.

I’m guilty. How about you? How are you doing bridling your tongue? Are you using your words to build people up? Are you speaking words of encouragement to those around you? Guess what? Facebook is an extension of your tongue. If you received a friend request from Jesus today what would He see on your Facebook page?

But truthfully the problem does not lie within the tongue, but within our hearts. The tongue is representative of our hearts, so what do our words have to say about us?

Here are some reminders of what our speech is supposed to be like.

Colossians 4:6
Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person.

James 1:19-20
This you know, my beloved brethren. But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger; for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God.

James 1:26
If anyone thinks himself to be religious, and yet does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this man's religion is worthless.

We need to ask God to create in us a new heart that is not the old one of stone. We need to stop being double-minded, saying we love people, yet the words we speak continue to belie us. Jesus spoke to this very thing. Listen carefully to His words.

Matthew 12:33-37
"Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for the tree is known by its fruit.  "You brood of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak what is good? For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart.  "The good man brings out of his good treasure what is good; and the evil man brings out of his evil treasure what is evil.  "But I tell you that every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it in the day of judgment.  "For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned."

Wiersbe ended his commentary on this section of James with some good counsel. He called it “Twelve Words That Can Transform Your Life.”

Please

Thank You

I’m Sorry

I Love You

I’m Praying For You

Those are twelve great words. But they mean nothing if not spoken with a sincere and honest heart. In our fallen state we cannot make the changes in our hearts that change the way we speak. Jesus wants to change us.

What kind of treasure will our tongues bring forth? Good treasure or evil treasure? This is important for according to Jesus we will give an accounting for our words. Make them count for good.