Today’s passage: James 3:6-12
Helpful thoughts:
- The illustration from verse 5 carries into today’s passage. What seems like a small fire (A slip of the tongue) can start a forest fire.
- The word for “hell” where is says the tongue is “set on fire by hell” points back to Gehenna, the place of burning that was used as a dump near Jerusalem. This word was used by Christ to refer to and illustrate the real Hell.
- The tongue can speak blessing and cursing, but those blessings and cursings come from and reveal what is in our heart.
- For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. – Matthew 12:34
- Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life. – Proverbs 4:23
Questions to consider:
- Why can’t we tame our own tongues? What is the (Our) root problem?
- Is James saying that we should expect to speak blessing and cursing, that it’s OK? What should be happening to our communication after we put our faith in Christ and grow as Christians?
- What would the consequences be of a heart made clean and growing in love for Christ and others? How would it contrast with the illustrations used in these verses?