Taming the Tongue
3 Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. 2 For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man,able also to bridle his whole body. 3 If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. 4 Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. 5 So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things.
How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! 6 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,[a] and set on fire by hell.[b]7 For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, 8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.
Usually when I write, I don't use this big of a section of scripture. I felt like I needed to include all of this though. So much would be lost from this without the whole section. Love the teachings from the book of James.
A lot of the time, we forget how powerful our words our. We forget the things we save have such an impact on those around us. Usually it takes somebody saying something to you, to really catch your attention on that.
I have to be so careful with the things I say. I pour into 75 very influential adolescents. 5 days a week. 5 hours a day.
for those of you that have never really worked with or been around adolescents... they remember EVERYTHING. and I mean everything. They also will say anything and everything that pops into their minds.
You have to choose your words wisely because you can either make or break their spirits. So easily a relationship can be severed with a student.
Love how in this section of James it even talks about being a teacher. It is only a calling for a few. Not only that though, but then it rolls into taming the tongue. How often do you really THINK before you speak.
I spend a lot of time mediating such unsweet words from one kiddo to another, & I have to redirect them to my expectations for them and the class rules. I so often have to remind them to THINK before they speak.
We only encourage each other. We are kind and considerate. Is it true? Is it helpful? Is it going to build them up or tear them down.
"The Boss" (that's me by the way. Yes I let the kids call me that, and encourage it... hey who doesn't like a little bit of a confidence boost?!) had a conversation with an entire class last week. 1 on character and the fruit of the spirit/the fruit their bear, and 2 one about how powerful the tongue is. I try to pull in scripture to my discipline as much as possible without stating where it comes from.
So I just actually had a conversation with 25 preteens about how powerful their tongues are, using the scripture from James about the tongue, not thinking that is a conversation that still needed to be had with others. It is so easily forgotten how powerful words are.
I love the quote posted above. It is so true. How careful would we speak if our words hurt us too?
I would have to say that I definitely have to constantly be more conscious of my word choice and tone, but forget how powerful words are until I have been burnt by somebody else's tongue and words.
Use what I share with my kiddos:
" We only encourage each other. We are kind and considerate. Is it true? Is it helpful? Is it going to build them up or tear them down. "
I challenge you think before you speak. Think about how it might effect the other involved. Because "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,[a] and set on fire by hell" (v6) Your words are way more powerful than you think.
