Heart and Tongue

James 3: 1 - 12

As we know, the Epistle of James addresses matters of everyday life. We have read in the previous chapter the connection between true faith and good works. In this passage, we can see an inseparable connection between heart and tongue.

James mostly depicts the tongue negatively from the fallen perspective. Although there are positive depictions, such as in verse 9, “with it we bless our Lord,” they are very few. It is important for us to recognize this fallen perspective because otherwise, we may develop an unrealistic picture of life. Indeed, the realistic picture can sometimes be painful and unpleasant; we don’t like to talk about it. Nevertheless, it is important to address our fallen world, including our community with all its weaknesses. One sign that we are growing in God is that we are able to discuss our weaknesses. A childish person won’t be able to talk about weaknesses and difficulties. We certainly each have our own portion, but every one of us is called to grow. If we keep running away from difficulties and disappointments, it means we are not growing.

James addresses the evilness of tongue in this chapter. The chapter begins with a warning in verse 1, “Not many of you should become teachers.” We should interpret this within the context of the tongue. Why shouldn’t many of us become teachers? Because teachers use their tongues a lot. We live in a fallen society where we like to lecture others. Sometimes, we even place our identity in our ability to teach or lecture others. We enjoy sharing our knowledge, but we may not be humble enough to listen to feedback and be taught by others. This, of course, is the wisdom of the world. If we think about it, it is actually more beneficial for us to be in the position of listener, as we are the one receiving the knowledge. Strangely, our fallen world celebrates the ability to lecture others, which actually is not really beneficial, even from the worldly perspective. We might interpret it this way, but that is not what James means. Rather, the warning is about the danger of using the tongue.

Jesus says in Matthew 12:37, “For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” We are condemned not only by our deeds but also by our words. This shows how serious this is. What comes out from our mouth is a reflection of what is inside our heart. Words from those who are hopeless can be very cynical and sarcastic, reflecting their hopelessness. Those who have bitterness in their heart will continually utter complaints and no words of gratitude come out from their mouths. James mentions ‘cursing’ in verse 10, and indeed, cursing comes from the heart. If our lives are truly blessed by God then what comes out of our mouths should also be blessings. When we truly experience the love of God, what comes out should also be loving words and loving deeds.

The problems in the community addressed by James here, aside from the competition to be teachers, are division and quarrels among themselves. One of the causes may be the tongue. In our community, do we also like to use our tongue to gossip and talk about others’ weaknesses? There are those who are deeply disappointed with the Christian community because of this. We like to talk about others’ weaknesses but we do not want to bear their weaknesses and pray for them.

James gives a very realistic picture. He positions himself within this warning (verse 1: “we who teach”). Nobody is perfect. He says in verse 2, “For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man.” He continues with simple examples in verse 3 and so on. We can guide horses by putting bits in their mouths. Ships are very large, yet they are guided by a very small rudder. What James tries to convey here is that, likewise, the tongue is a small member of the body, yet it controls a huge part of our life. We should be aware of this challenge and not underestimate it.

Of course, we should not only view this from the fallen perspective, but also from the redemptive perspective of the great things the tongue can move. The tongue may destroy someone or a community to pieces, but on the other hand it can also unite a community. If with the tongue we can discourage and ridicule others, it means we can also encourage and console others with the tongue. This is not just rhetoric; it is about the disposition of our hearts. If we receive consolation from God day by day, the same should flow out from our hearts.

We are living in a fallen world, and surely we will get hurt. The question is, how do we respond to these painful experiences? Many try to make themselves immune to such experiences. However, this consequently also makes them immune to admiration, consolation, and so on. Others may try to balance the painful experiences by seeking comfort in good food, traveling, and so on. This may seem rather realistic, but in doing so, we create a dichotomy in our lives. More importantly, of course, none of these are the Christian way.

How should we respond as a Christian? We should bring our pains to God and seek His consolation. This will lead us to a deeper knowledge of God’s comfort and consolation. Those who have this richness in their lives will also be able to bring comfort and consolation to others, just as they have received it from God. On the other hand, those who do not have this comfort from God may only suggest distractions, such as traveling, to those who are suffering, but they cannot truly comfort them. And when we try to deal with suffering by traveling instead of seeking God, we will not grow in our faith and relationship with Him.

Thus, any experience, whether painful or joyful, can be used by God to deepen our relationship with Him. When we experience spiritual growth and receive blessings from God, we can also bless others. We may be able to share the experiences we’ve gone through so that others can learn from them. The tongue may be a small member of our body that we often underestimate. Yet, we should pray and ask God to transform our hearts so that what comes out of our tongue may bless others.

Reading the examples in verses 3-4 about horses and ships, we tend to think that the point here is about controlling our tongue. Just as horses are controlled by a bridle and ships by a rudder, we also need to control our wild tongue. But one commentary suggests that what James is trying to illustrate here is not so much about control, but rather about direction. What is the difference between control and direction? Control is often understood in a negative sense, as if what is being controlled is wild and would wreak havoc if it were set loose.

A controlled tongue is different from a directed tongue. A controlled tongue means we simply suppress it from uttering rude and hurtful words, and we may end up not speaking at all. This is not what James means; it’s not merely about control. James also says that with our tongue, we bless God. Therefore, what we need is to direct our tongue to bless and speak the right things.

We see this in the life of Jesus Christ. He didn’t just stay quiet. He is the Word, the Logos of God. In Christ, we can speak words that can bless others. Everyone of us is called to speak. As Paul said (2 Corinthians 4:13), “We also believe, and so we also speak.” Our God is God who speaks. When we receive the richness of His words, we should also be directed to speak the truth of His words. We hope that this will also be realized in our community, that we do not speak merely superficial words, but words that encourage and build up others, coming from hearts that are also encouraged by God. May God bless us all.