July 26, 2022
About the Heart
James 3
Abby Michael
Central Truth
What we believe about God matters because it informs everything that comes from us. Our words are sure signals for either hearts submitted to our King or hearts that seek to glorify self. If the latter option is true of us, "disorder and every vile practice" will come (James 3:16).
Key Verse | James 3:17
But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.
James 3
Taming the Tongue
1 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, 1 3:6 Or wheel of birth and set on fire by hell. 2 3:6 Greek Gehenna 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. 9 With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. 10 From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, 3 3:10 Or brothers and sisters; also verse 12 these things ought not to be so. 11 Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? 12 Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water.
Wisdom from Above
13 Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. 15 This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. 16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. 17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. 18 And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.
Listen to the Podcast
Listen NowDive Deeper | James 3
Before we take one step further in James, let's remind ourselves why acquiring wisdom matters. Proverbs 1:7 tells us that "the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction." This verse reminds us that wisdom is knowing God, and knowing God comes from a proper understanding of who we are in relation to Him.
When we realize our dependence and rightful place as worshipers and servants of the Most High, we make a shift from our sinful, natural bent toward reversing the role of God and man. This reversal at its core is pride. It's a deeply embedded heart issue that has been present since the beginning (Genesis 3:6). Yet God has consistently shown that He cares deeply about the condition of our hearts and the restoration of them back unto Him.
James 3 is a specific expression of a heart driven by pride instead of the fear of the Lord. The tongue is described as "a fire, a world of unrighteousness" (James 3:6), "a restless evil full of deadly poison" (James 3:8), and a primary mechanism we use to "boast of great things" (James 3:5). These "great things" that set on fire, divide, and poison are rooted in pride, jealousy, and selfish ambition (James 3:16). When we operate this way, we speak and act in a way that seems right to us.
With our words, we sing praises to God and then gossip about others, we pray to God and then complain to friends, and we plead with God and then wound those around us. "[N]o human being can tame the tongue" (James 3:8), yet the cross of Jesus has paved a way for believers, through the Spirit not to be ruled by their tongues. "Wisdom from above" makes this a reality for the believer (James 3:17). This wisdom is a right understanding of God, which produces a heart and a tongue that honor Him. Ultimately, our hearts are what God is after.
Discussion Questions
1. What is the first thing you think about when you think about God?
2. Think about the words you said yesterday or already today. Do they reflect a heart that fears God?
3. When are your words least likely to reflect a heart that fears God?
4. Before any meeting, phone call, or conversation you have today, take a moment to submit yourself to the Lord and ask for His Spirit and wisdom to guide you as you open your mouth.