THE TONGUE, WORSE THAN AN UNTAMED BEAST

Dear Members in Christ,

The tongue, worse than an untamed beast

In a previous article on the passage from James 3:5, we considered how the tongue is like a raging fire. The exposition of this topic from the epistle of James speaks of how little the tongue is, yet it is capable of wreaking havoc and creating untold damage.

“Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!” James 3:5

There is a lesson from God’s Word for anyone trying to exercise this great Christian virtue - the discipline of controlling one’s speech. Speech can be destructive when the words are spoken without exercising wisdom or control. The ancient Chinese had a famous idiom, “once a word is spoken, a four-horse litter cannot catch up with it.” (一言既出，驷马难追). The meaning is that once a word is spoken, there is no turning back, no way to reverse the consequence of those words.

In today’s article, we consider God’s Word of exhortation to retain control over our speech. It is a great and difficult effort. Sometimes when words are spoken in haste, in anger or without forethought, the consequences are irreversible. Ungracious speech from a Christian destroys his/her testimony. Angry words spoken without any self-control can result in the embarrassment, like a drunkard ashamed of his actions while under the influence of drinks.

Christian, let us be well taught by the Word of God. Let us receive the exhortation of the Word about the Christian virtue of controlling our tongue and speech.

A. Controlling your Tongue – more difficult than taming beasts

The Bible describes what it is like to attempt to control the tongue. It is harder than trying to tame a wild animal. Wild beasts of any kind, land, sea or air can be tamed to do the bidding of their trainers. The Bible uses this illustration very clearly.

“For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind: But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.” James 3:7,8

Is it not true that we see that man are able to train and tame animals. Horses, oxen mules can be trained to be beasts of burden. Birds can be trained to hunt, as natives of the steppes have shown how they can train eagles to hunt. Reptiles, even marine creatures can be tamed. Although we know that these are wild beasts by nature, these creatures can be brought under control by training means employed by good animal-keepers. Yet the tongue no man can tame. What! The tongue is uncontrollable? Does it mean that we are doomed to speak ungodly and ungracious speech? The Bible does not teach us to resign ourselves to sinful or ungodly behavior.

The answer is in the Lord Jesus’ finished work of delivering us from our sins. You see a Christian is transformed into a new creature, the Bible describes him as, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

Beloved, let us hear the warning of Scriptures. We know that controlling our speech is a gargantuan task, but we who are indwelt by the Holy Spirit can submit ourselves to its holy influence. We can have victory over the sin of ungracious and ungodly speech, and an uncontrolled tongue.

B. The Bible character Shimei was a man who could not control his tongue

There was an example in the Bible of a man who could not hold his tongue. His end was disastrous. This man is called Shimei. When David fled Jerusalem because of Absalom’s rebellion, Shimei decided it was time to lash out at David with his tongue - without regard that David was still king, and therefore God’s anointed shepherd over His people. He said,

“The LORD hath returned upon thee all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose stead thou hast reigned; and the LORD hath delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom thy son: and, behold, thou art taken in thy mischief, because thou art a bloody man.” 2 Samuel 16:8

These words were spoken out of turn and in fact the Bible hints of his regret when David’s kingdom was reinstated, for Shimei immediately ran to David pleading for forgiveness. This was a man who had no regard for the things of God. Later, Shimei would be executed during the reign of Solomon for making a loose oath before God and king.

Dearly beloved, our Lord Jesus guides us by His written Word and the working of His Holy Spirit. Let us pray for God’s Holy Spirit to help us in our daily conduct. May our tongue be held under control, guided by the Spirit of God, in ways that are gracious and godly in speech (and thought and deed). May God be praised. Amen.    

In His Service,
Rev. Lim Seh Beng, Pastor