Remember what James has talked about in his letter so far. Everyone faces temptations and problems. But some are especially common to teachers. Abuse of the tongue is one of the hardest things to avoid. Think for a moment about the tongue. How many times have we gotten into big trouble because we said something wrong or didn't think before we spoke? Maybe it was because we said what we thought in a derogatory way?

James provides us some strong instructions in this passage that every Christian must follow. Blessing and cursing are not allowed with the tongue. We must not let our mouths to be exploited for wicked and evil purposes. The tongue, the most rebellious part of our body, must be tamed.

(James 3:1-12)

Not many should become teachers, my brothers, knowing that we will receive a stricter judgment, 2 for we all stumble in many ways. If anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a mature man who is also able to control his whole body. 3 Now when we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we also guide the whole animal. 4 And consider ships: Though very large and driven by fierce winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. 5 So too, though the tongue is a small part of the body, it boasts great things. Consider how large a forest a small fire ignites. 6 And the tongue is a fire. The tongue, a world of unrighteousness, is placed among the parts of our bodies. It pollutes the whole body, sets the course of life on fire, and is set on fire by hell. 7 Every sea creature, reptile, bird, or animal is tamed and has been tamed by man, 8 but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 9 We praise our Lord and Father with it, and we curse men who are made in God’s likeness with it. 10 Praising and cursing come out of the same mouth. My brothers, these things should not be this way. 11 Does a spring pour out sweet and bitter water from the same opening? 12 Can a fig tree produce olives, my brothers, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a saltwater spring yield fresh water. 

The first thing James says in this passage is that not many believers are to desire to become teachers. Why? Because teachers are held to a higher standard by God. A teacher instructs and corrects. A teacher is accountable for his students' life and spiritual progress. Therefore, the instructor will be judged more harshly if he doesn't practice what he preaches. Teaching is a high calling which carries with it huge responsibilities, and if a person does have the gift of teaching, he is not to neglect his gift.

Speech is a teacher's major tool. So, the tongue and its usage will determine a teacher's condemnation. A teachers' first temptation is to misuse the tongue to transmit incorrect or misleading information, obtain undeserved power, propagate rumors, or gossip, or speak rudely or arrogantly.

The tongue proves that humans stumble in many things. So, we all stumble and sin. Teachers and believers are included. No matter how good a teacher, every believer stumbles and falls. Verse 2 indicates “in many things” we fall. We constantly sin before God. All believers—teachers and preachers—are included. Our tongue shows we are not always patient, gentle, modest, and humble.

The tongue boasts great things despite its modest size. But this is no excuse to say it can’t be tamed. Just the opposite. God will hold us accountable for every word. So, we must learn to control our tongue to become mature in Christ.

The tongue is a little member that boasts great things. James gives us two illustrations. He says consider the bit or bridle that is put into a horse’s mouth to guide it. Compared to the animal, the bit is very small. Secondly, he says consider the rudder of a ship. This smallest piece of the ship can control it in the most severe storms. The same goes for the tongue. It may be small, but it can build up or it can destroy.

A person may brag about anything, quietly or loudly. But all bragging is harmful, either by lowering the speaker's image or by making the listener feel inferior. Boasting is meaningless language, yet its destructive power should not be underestimated. (Luke 14:11) “For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

(Verse 5 & 6) imply that a small spark can ignite a large forest. The tongue is similar. The tongue is a fire that may consume and ruin a forest of lives and relationships. The tongue's fire defiles the whole body and sets fire to a person's nature or life. The term "the course of life" describes nature. It signifies nature's wheel, life's wheel, and the endless cycle of birth to death. Thus, the tongue may poison and corrupt a man's entire body and life.

Satan himself ignites a flaming tongue, therefore everyone who sets his tongue ablaze follows Satan's tongue, the flames of hell. This person has a horrible, Satanic heart. A Christian should never say words that are nasty, insulting, disrespectful, unclean, furious, divisive, cruel, provocative, or gossip.

The tongue is a constant evil. It is the only thing that man cannot tame. All other creatures’ man has tamed including beasts, birds, serpents, and creatures of the sea. But the tongue can’t be tamed by any person. At least not completely. (Verse 8) says no man can tame the tongue. But God can. Listen to what Matthew Henry says about this verse: “No man can tame the tongue without supernatural grace and assistance. The apostle does not intend to represent it as a thing impossible, but as a thing extremely difficult, which therefore will require great watchfulness, and pains, and prayer.” Only Christ can control a man’s tongue. Control it so that it pleases God.

"Restless evil" is the tongue. It's restless and wandering. It's toxic (verse 8-10). The tongue is also inconsistent. It may praise God and blame people. Imagine! How many sit in church on Sunday or at meals thanking God and then cuss or use bad language on Monday? The same tongue blesses and curses. It's the same language. It's hard to hold the tongue motionless, and when it talks, it can curse or bless.

The tongue must be controlled by believers. God's wellspring is a believer. Does a fountain that's designed to dispense sweet water also dispense bitter? Believers don't have unruly tongues. Believers are like fig trees. Do figs produce olives? Or figs? No fountain produces salt and fresh water. No tongue speaks blessings and curses. Only a wicked tongue could achieve this.