James 3:5b,6, 7-10
How great a forest is set ablaze by a small fire! And the tongue is a fire…every species of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by the human species, but no one can tame the tongue—a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse those who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this ought not to be so.
Reflection
We may feel that in his polemical words about the tongue, quoted above, James goes too far – and I have omitted some of the most condemnatory! But the fact that he exaggerates must not prevent us from taking what he says seriously. Perhaps, like me, you have had the experience of saying something and later wishing that you had kept our mouth shut!
In the chapter entitled ‘Ministry’ in ‘Life Together’ the first sub-section is ‘The Ministry of Holding One’s Tongue’, which opens with Bonhoeffer saying, “Often we combat evil thoughts most effectively if we absolutely refuse to allow them to be expressed in words.” He suggests that whoever holds their tongue in check controls both mind and body, and refers to James chapter 3.
Bonhoeffer is clear that if we practise what he calls ‘the discipline of the tongue’ we will be able to stop scrutinising other people, judging them and condemning them, rather we will allow them to exist as the completely free people whom God has made them to be.
This means that it must be the decisive rule of every Christian fellowship that individuals are prohibited from saying much that occurs to them. This does not apply only to ministers, though it does mean, as Bonhoeffer says earlier in ‘Life Together,’ that a pastor should never complain about his congregation, certainly never to other people, but also not to God. He does not add that members of congregations should not complain about their pastors to other people or to God, but perhaps we should take that as read.
Whoever we are, we do well to take to heart and put into the practice these words from James 1:9, ‘let everyone be swift to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry’.
Prayer
Loving God, forgive us when we have spoken words which have been unhelpful and even hurtful, and help us to forgive those who have hurt us by their words. Help us to hold our tongues when we are tempted to use them wrongly and inspire us to speak words that will give comfort, strength and encouragement to people. Amen