A Look into James: Words

James 3:1-12 is a very interesting passage, with James using strong language at which to convey the seriousness of the topic. The tongue. Well, not just the tongue itself but words and so forth.

James 3:2, "For we all stumble in many ways. If anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is mature, able also to control the whole body."

Our words are a reflection of everything about us. It affects everything about you... how you come across to others, your attitude, your personality... your relationship with the Lord or lack thereof.

James compares the tongue to a small fire setting a large forest ablaze, calls it a world of unrighteousness, full of deadly poison and a restless evil. It's serious. What we say matters and I think that often we forget that.

Words can produce life or death. 

The right words can make someone's day or tear them down farther than you thought possible. The thing about words is that we really don't have a clue how much it impacts people. You might say something that wouldn't cause any offense to you, but it could spark an insecurity in someone else. We should be careful in what we say... not tiptoeing around people, but speaking life over them.

I gotta be honest, I'm a naturally sarcastic person. Especially in the past, I've had a tendency to be sarcastic in the wrong moments and have gone too far. I'm working on that. I think the thing about sarcasm is that its often just unnecessary and if you're a sarcastic person too, I would suggest making sure you aren't going too far or making comments that could be taken across as hurtful.

James goes on to write in verse 10, "Blessings and cursing comes out of the same mouth. My brothers and sisters, these things should not be this way."

I like that verse. I don't even know fully why, but I do.  It shouldn't be this way. That phrase has been uttered since the fall of man. Sin has impacted our world, it broke our relationship with God. Things weren't meant to be this way.

Anyway, another thing about words is that words are an overflow of the heart. What you hear, surround yourself with, absorb.... it all effects you. Words are an overflow of that - for good or bad.

Galatians 5:16-17, "I say, then, walk by the Spirit and you will certainly not carry out the desire of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is against the Spirit, and the Spirit desires what is against the flesh; these are opposed to each other, so that you don’t do what you want."

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Before I finish off I did want to mention one more topic: gossip.

Personally, I've never understood the appeal of blatant gossip. I'm not claiming to be perfect - far from it. I've just never understood why people purposefully tear others down. However, I do know how easy it is to get sucked into gossip. Often our words, our conversations with others, walk a line. Problem is, too often it falls over to the side of gossip.

Gossip does nothing more than hurt others and give yourself temporary satisfaction over them.

I think that's one reason why people do gossip. When you talk negatively about someone else, it makes yourself feel better. You think "at least I'm not as bad as so and so". That's such a dangerous perspective. Comparison draws you in and either destroys you or destroys the other.

Please realize how harmful gossip it. It spreads so quickly and people don't realize how much it effects others. If the only thing you hear about someone is something bad, you may assume the worst about the person, but the reality is you only know someone else's distorted view of them.

People think that gossip is the truth, but gossip is only someone's jaded perspective of another person.

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Okay, well, that was a much longer post than I expected. Anyway, my main point throughout this post is just to be aware of the impact your words have on others. I hope you choose to speak life.

So, as you go about your day, your week, I would love for you to think about this question:

Do my words reflect Christ and lift people up? Or are my words harmful and tear people down?



Galatians 5:25, "If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit."