Read James 3:1-13
Verse 1 makes me want to quit. He says that we should not have many teachers because they will receive the greater judgment. We all get tripped up at some time, but if we are able to bridle our tongues we are able to bridle our whole body. I guess that is why he told us to be cautious if we are teachers since teachers use their mouths. Then he uses the examples of bits in horses' mouths and rudders on ships. These bits and rudders are our tongues. They may be small but they have great power to move and change things. They can say one small rumor about someone that can escalate into ruining one's reputation, or teach one wrong doctrine that can explode into starting a cult. With our tongue we can bring down a curse on the rest of our body or bring healing to the same part. The tongue is untamable by human means but anything is possible with God. The true test of whether a person is wise and knowledgeable is that his conversation is good. That word "conversation" means "behavior" which goes beyond your speech. Your speech reveals your heart and your behavior acts out your heart so they go hand in hand. It also says that a wise person's wisdom is humble. In other words they know when to speak and when to stay quiet. I think I'll shut up now.
Lord, help us!
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