Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. We all stumble in many ways. Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect, able to keep their whole body in check. When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water. James 3:1-12 (New International Version, NIV)

James speaks at length of the tongue and says that no man can tame it. This is true- we cannot tame our tongues on our own. However, God can tame it when we surrender our tongues to Him for His use. He can help us control our bodies by controlling our words.

According to James, we stumble in many ways. But, let’s not forget that as we yield our tongues to God, we can mature and stumble less. As we do, we can go on to greater maturity. In maturing, we begin to speak in line with the Word more consistently, and that will help us mature further so that we can bridle, or control, our whole bodies. It is a process that takes us closer and closer to being like Christ and deeper and deeper into God’s will for our lives.

Like a tiny bit controls a large horse, or like a small rudder steers a great ship, our tongues can control our bodies, and thus the course of our lives. By the power of our tongues, we can control, or take authority over, our bodies- not to sin but to do the will of God. By the grace of God, we can make our mouths speak the Word of God, getting our bodies in line with God’s will. When our bodies get out of line it produces willful sin, sickness, or other such weaknesses of the flesh.

Just as bits and rudders control horses and ships, respectively, our small tongues can control our bodies and when our tongues line up with the Word, so do our bodies, and our lives. As we get in the Word and in God’s presence, our tongues come under His subjection. Speaking God’s Word gives our bodies strength, life, refreshing. We receive fresh feedings of the Word and fresh fillings of His Spirit. We experience new encounters of God’s presence. Every time we obey God the flesh gets weaker and our spirits get stronger. Thus, our spirits dominate our bodies, making them do what God wants. By God-inspired and God-empowered Words, authority can be taken over our bodies… and our lives!