“Surely the most appropriate warning”
By Rev. Michael Stonhouse
Meditation – Wednesday, September 6, 2023
James 3:1-12 (Forward, p. 39) CEV p. 1274
James is most definitely onto something very important when he warns us about the power and impact of the tongue. It is something that has been summed up or articulated in countless sayings. Here are just a few of the ones I picked up from a website entitled, “50 Tongue Quotes to Speak Your Mind”:
“Men are born with two eyes, but with one tongue, in order that they should see twice as much as they say.” — Charles Caleb Colton
“All parts of the human body get tired eventually – except the tongue.” — Konrad Adenauer
“A tart temper never mellows with age, and a sharp tongue is an only edged tool that grows keener with constant use.” — Washington Irving
“Put a bridle on thy tongue; set a guard before thy lips, lest the words of thine own mouth destroy thy peace… on much speaking cometh repentance, but in silence is safety.” — William Drummond
“If it’s very painful for you to criticize your friends – you’re safe in doing it. But if you take the slightest pleasure in it, that’s the time to hold your tongue.” — Alice Miller
“We have a natural right to make use of our pens as of our tongue, at our peril, risk, and hazard.” — Voltaire
“The best time for you to hold your tongue is the time you feel you must say something or bust.” — Josh Billings
“Fire and swords are slow engines of destruction, compared to the tongue of a Gossip.” — Richard Steele
“Let a fool hold his tongue, and he will pass for a sage.” — Publilius Syrus
“Listen! Clam up your mouth and be silent like an oyster shell, for that tongue of yours is the enemy of the soul, my friend. When the lips are silent, the heart has a hundred tongues.” — Rumi
“You can change your world by changing your words… Remember, death and life are in the power of the tongue.” — Joel Osteen
“Before the tongue can speak, it must have lost the power to wound.” — Peace Pilgrim
James picks up on many of these ideas, such as the power of the tongue to wound and inflict damage on others, or on the need to be slow and deliberate in knowing when and how to speak. He also talks about the need to control our tongues and about how difficult that is at times. But interestingly, there is one thing that he mentions that isn’t in the above quotes, namely the importance of and the risk involved in anyone who is a teacher, for they pass on, not only knowledge, truth, but also teachings about ethics and lifestyles and conduct. Teachers—and this includes pastors—will be held all the more accountable because of the stakes involved. But, surely, it is not only teachers that need to be wise, and careful, in how they use their tongues. Surely, this should apply to each and every one of us. Surely, this is an appropriate warning for all of us.
Forward notes: “From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this ought not to be so” (verse 10).
“The author of James has a lot of harsh words to say about the power of the tongue. They go so far as to call it ‘a world of iniquity’ and ‘evil’ and to discourage those receiving this letter from being teachers who could presumably guide others toward error with their words. While I read these passages are hyperbolic because I do not believe that any part of our bodies is inherently evil, I get the author’s point about how our words can hurt each other.
“As a graduate student, I was a respondent for another student’s paper. I went into the conversation leading with critical comments and questions about the paper. Within minutes, I realized my approach was inhibiting productive dialogue. The student responded charitably but seemed disheartened. I sensed I hurt their feelings and later apologized. After that, I resolved to be more aware of people’s feelings in group discussions.
“Words can hurt and heal, and we do not always know beforehand what power they will have. Empathetic communication can help.”
Moving Forward: “Hold your tongue today when tempted to criticize.