Title: Guard Your Tongue/James 3:1-12
In a Jewish village there was a man with three daughters. However, the three daughters each had one flaw. The first was very lazy, the second was kleptomania, and the youngest had a habit of slandering others. The father tried very hard to correct their flaws, but all in vain. So, after thinking about it, I went to the rabbi. “I can't change my daughters' habits anymore. So, please, Rabbi, take care of my daughters for only one year and change their habits.” I asked for this.
At his father's earnest request, the rabbi decided to take care of the daughters. The rabbi, in charge of the three daughters, immediately went to work to correct their shortcomings.
First he called his eldest daughter. “As long as you are in my house, do nothing. I have hired several servants for you, so do whatever you feel comfortable with.” This time I called my second daughter. “There is no one in this town who doesn’t know me. And everyone trusts me. So if you have anything you want, just bring it with you. Even if you just pick up the items, no one will ask you for a price.” Finally, the rabbi called his youngest daughter. “After dinner every day, you come to my room and do all the things you want to tell me. Any story is fine.”
And a year has passed. Their father has now come to the rabbi's house to pick up his daughters and sit face to face with his daughters. The first daughter got up quickly, prepared the tea table, and said to her father. “It’s really hard to just lie down and do nothing all day.” The second daughter bowed her head shyly, saying, “I realized that things live for the taste of paying for them.”
But the youngest daughter sat on her father's lap and said, "father! Well, Rabbi-sama, relationships with women are not usually complicated.” He began to slander his teacher, the rabbi. The bottom line here is that we've come to realize that breaking the habit of slander is the hardest thing in the world.
People make a lot of mistakes. Hands and feet make mistakes, and eyes and nose make mistakes. But the most common mistake is the mouth. So, if we can sum up the great meaning of the text in one word, we can say, “Be careful with your words” or “Guard your tongue.” If we do not know how to protect even the most precious things in our lives, we will be robbed and of no use. So, from the old days, every castle has a watchman to keep it, and even now, there is always a watchman installed at the place where valuables are stored or important government offices. Likewise, God created us humans and made us His temple and set up a watchman, and that is the tongue. Through today's text, I would like to think about the power of the tongue and why we must protect it.
power of the tongue
Words come with power.
Because speech is what gives form to a creative image, if we don't say it, the image remains in our minds, unembodied and formless. But when it comes out of the mouth as a horse, it takes shape. For example, God who made animals brought them before Adam and gave them names, and when Adam gave names to animals, birds, and fish, their personalities were formed. The lion became ferocious, the dove became a bird of peace, and the president was given majesty and authority. In this way, we should know that Adam's words cooperated with God's creation. Words come true because they have the spiritual power to bring about creation.
Words have power.
Words are the driving force in our lives. Just like a giant ship sailing on the sea can be steered freely with a single key, if you can control the tongue in a person's mouth, you can lead your life in the direction you want. In other words, just as a horse moves to the place where the bridle is pulled, and a ship travels to the place where the rudder is controlled, so the direction of one's life is to be guided by the movement of the tongue.
It certainly changes your life as you move your tongue. If you always say ‘I can’t do it’ or ‘It’s over’, the environment that used to be so good gets worse in an instant, and literally nothing can be done. However, no matter how difficult the situation, those who say ‘I can do it’, ‘I can do it’, and ‘Let’s do it’ will soon be able to see miraculous changes in the environment. Therefore, although the tongue is small like this, its influence is great. Therefore, we should always be careful with our tongue.
Words have life.
Therefore, when we speak, we must speak life-saving words. Because, through the power of the tongue, you can go to heaven or go to hell. Even if they speak in the same courtroom, the prosecutor always says things that kill criminals, and the lawyers say things that save criminals. After a famous prosecutor believed in Jesus through his wife's evangelism, the prosecutor's job that everyone admires became a burden with guilt. Eventually, I heard testimony that he resigned and hung a lawyer sign.
We should use our words to benefit others and to spread life. If you cut off your tongue, you become dumb. But remember, it is better to go to heaven dumb than to go to hell with a tongue that stumbles.
Why should you keep your tongue
Because there is evil in the tongue, we must protect it.
Such is the one whose tongue is possessed by Satan. In the Bible, the serpent means Satan and the devil. Snakes have two forked tongues. Snakes are the only animals with one mouth and two tongues. In this way, with one mouth, Satan tempts people with sweet words and killing words. He speaks good things in front of him, and then he talks badly when he turns around. A person under Satan's control speaks two words with one mouth and acts as a dual personality.
Also, snakes have developed jawbones and can swallow animals that are 10 times larger than their heads, and once they bite their prey, they stretch like rubber, and they have the ability to swallow large animals such as rabbits and goats whole. In addition, once bitten, it harbors poison to prevent it from escaping from the mouth.
In the Garden of Eden, Satan deceived Eve with lies. So, I made the family of God into my own family. Likewise, even today, the devil constantly uses his tongue to make God's family members of the devil's family. So this is Satan's tactic today: to lie, to alienate, to be jealous and jealous, to break up good friends, and to leave the church. We must not fall for this tactic. That is why we must guard our tongue.
Because the tongue has duality, we must protect it.
Hearing Eve's words, “I fear I will die,” the devil obtained himself and said, “I will never die,” and made him a member of the devil’s family. You can know a person's personality or culture by speaking. Just as a fountain cannot produce bitter and sweet water from one hole, you must not sing praises and curses with one mouth. Therefore, starting today, I hope you will let go of the duality of the tongue.
The tongue must be controlled.
It is said that he who controls the tongue can rule the world. In order for us to have a true religious character, we must control our tongue. But the tongue is not controlled by our will. We must put the fire of the Holy Spirit of God on our lips. The perfect way to control our tongue is only with the help of the Holy Spirit.
According to the Wisdom Document, there are 12 ways to teach speaking and listening.
① It is said that you should not talk too much. A person who talks a lot is a fool, and it is difficult for such a person to avoid fault.
② Avoid harsh words. Because it stirs the oars.
③ I told you not to do what others say.
④ Don't speak hastily. A righteous person thinks deeply about what he has to say and speaks carefully. Think deeply about your words.
⑤ You shouldn't even try to listen to others. Because you can even hear the servant curse you (Ecclesiastes 7:21).
⑥ Do not brag. There are a lot of bad words among people.
⑦ Do not use false or irresponsible remarks.
⑧ Please use only appropriate words that fit the occasion.
⑨ Say a lot of good things. Such words bring joy to people, purify the soul, and work like medicine.
⑩ Listen to wisdom and understanding.
⑪ Don't fall for temptations with words.
⑫ Speak wisely.
Then you can do everything comfortably. Avoid words that are easily misunderstood, let yourself be a little low, be patient, raise the other person and make the other person feel better.
Words have no form, no color, and no smell. However, it torments people with a force sharper than a dagger and more brutal than a weapon. It is said that a horse cannot break bones, but it breaks the heart. Let us set up watchmen of our lips and change circumstances and destiny with the power of the tongue. When speaking, let's only say things that are creative, constructive, move forward and improve. Then, I believe that success, blessings, and the work of prospering will come to you in your life.