November 3
Bible Reading: James 3
James 3:5-8, “How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.”
Though definitely not the largest of Oregon forest fires, the Eagle Creek fire of September 2017 will be long remembered for the widespread devastation and distress it caused. It was first reported on September 2nd. By the morning of the next day, it had grown to 3000 acres and had trapped 153 hikers, forcing them to spend the night in the woods. On September 5th, it hopped across the wide Columbia River and started a fire on the Washington side. The community of Cascade Locks was evacuated, with 283 structures and 15 businesses being threatened by the fire. The fire also threatened historical structures in the Columbia River gorge, including the iconic and much-visited Multnomah Falls Lodge. Nearby salmon hatcheries were forced to move or release early hundreds of thousands of fish. The main east-west thoroughfare in the region, Interstate 84, was shut down for days, and maritime traffic on the Columbia River was shut down for 20 miles. As of October 7th, the fire had consumed some 50,000 acres. The popular hiking trails in that area are shutdown indefinitely. With the fall rains starting in earnest, warnings were issued for possible rock and mud slides.
How did it begin? Witnesses reported seeing a group of teenagers lighting fireworks and throwing them into the Eagle Creek Canyon. Oregon State Police later obtained cell phone video footage that showed a 15-year-old boy throwing the smoking firecracker that had started the fire. Do you suppose that that teen could have imagined the extent of destruction that would be caused by that foolhardy stunt? That’s the imagery James uses in his indictment of the human tongue— “How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! (James 3:5).”
There is something very wrong with our tongues. The indictment of the tongue here in our passage is unequivocal and universal. The tongue is small, but powerful. It is set on fire by hell itself. We can tame big animals, but the tongue is untamable. Though able to bless God, it is ready and all-too-willing to curse those made in His image. The Bible’s claim about tongues causing harm is supported by ample evidence in marriages, families, churches, communities, and our country as a whole. This harm can be likened to a raging forest fire. Untamable tongues set fires. They cause misery and destruction.
The God-man Jesus Christ was born into a world of troubled tongues. His speech was according to His nature, full of “grace and truth” (John 1:14). He spoke only truth, but His speech was also always characterized by grace. He who knew no sin and never sinned had a perfect tongue. The Apostle Peter would later write of how we, as believers, need to follow Jesus’ example, saying, “For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example to follow in His steps, who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth; and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously” (1 Peter 2:21-23). Peter went on to say this: “To sum up, all of you be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kindhearted, and humble in spirit; not returning evil for evil or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead. For the one who desires life, to love and see good days, must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit.” (1 Peter 3:8-10).
The key to having tongues that speak as they should is to have a tongue that speaks according to our new nature in Christ. We speak as Jesus would have us, when we speak not according to our human nature or fleshly tendencies, but according to the indwelling Spirit and the Word. We still have the flesh; left to our own devices, we will speak accordingly. Such speech is characterized by “enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions” (Galatians 5:20). But by the Spirit, the fruit of the Spirit (Christlike virtue), is born in us. As we walk by the Spirit, our speech is consistent to who Christ is, and characterized by “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23; 1 Corinthians 13:4-7). Likewise, Ephesians 5:18 and Colossians 3:16 speak to the worshipful and edifying words that characterize the lives of those whose hearts are “filled up” with the Spirit and the Word.
We live in a day where hateful words and insults fill the airwaves and too many conversations. And that’s sadly true in too many “Christian” homes and churches! Even Christians toss fireworks into tinder dry regions. The fires started then quickly spread to destroy relationships and dishonor God. A raging firestorm exists in the spiritual realm—a raging firestorm set on fire by hell itself (James 3:6). Are you a firestarter or a firefighter? We’ve got to stop with the insults and name-calling that are so commonplace in our day (Matthew 5:21-22; Ephesians 4:29) and get back to the business of living out and sharing the good news. We are ambassadors for Christ (2 Corinthians 5:20-21). We are His representatives! Imagine an ambassador being sent out from our country to another. How long would he last in that role if he only cursed and insulted his fellow ambassadors and the people of the country to whom he was sent? As citizens of heaven, we ambassadors for Christ bear a message of reconciliation in the gospel. Let’s share that and words that are always “with grace” (Colossians 4:6)!
“Take my lips and let them be, filled with messages from Thee.” – Frances R. Havergal
May the mind of Christ my Savior
Live in me from day to day,
By His love and pow’r controlling
All I do and say.
LookingtoJesus 