When I first started following Jesus, I was taught a firm rule: Christians don't swear. But we found loopholes. Son of a biscuit. Cheese and crackers. Fudsicles. Good gravy. My personal favorite growing up, crud. As if God leaned in and said, "Oh, I thought you said the real thing. Okay, you're fine." It's funny, but it also misses the point entirely. As I've walked with Jesus, I've realized following him isn't about a list of words we don't say. It's about learning his way of speaking.
That's exactly what James is after in chapter 3. He throws three pictures at us. A tiny bit in a horse's mouth turns a two-thousand-pound animal. A small rudder, about one percent of a ship, steers a vessel the size of a floating town. And a single spark can burn a whole forest. Small object, enormous impact. Then he lands it: the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts.
Proverbs says life and death are in the power of the tongue, and I don't think that's exaggeration. In 1969, insults traded during a World Cup qualifier between Honduras and El Salvador spiraled into an actual war. In the 1960s, Dr. King said "I have a dream" and empowered a movement. Words start wars and heal marriages. I know this personally. In high school, my English teacher read a mediocre essay of mine and said, "Corey, I think you have a gift." That one sentence made me a writer for life.
James doesn't hand out seven easy steps here, so here's what I've been practicing. Before I speak, I ask three questions. Does this need to be said? Does it need to be said by me? Does it need to be said by me right now? And on the positive side, like that John Mayer song, say what you need to say. Life is short. If you need to say I love you, I believe in you, or I forgive you, say it now.
That's what Jesus did. He always spoke for the benefit of others, even when it was hard. My friend Peter, known online as Foster Dad Flipper, grew up poor on the streets of Uganda until a stranger asked his name and said, "I believe there's something better for you." Peter has since fostered over forty kids. One eleven-year-old boy he took in looked at him and asked, "Can I call you dad? I choose you." That is heaven on earth.
So loved ones, let's speak life. Let's speak Jesus.
We'd love to have you join us. Garden City Church meets every Sunday at 10:00 AM in Tacoma, right across from Wright Park. Come as you are, whether you've walked with Jesus for years or you're just curious and checking things out. This is a place you can belong before you believe. Find us at gardencitynw.com for directions and what to expect.