I enjoy boating. My delight is being on nice water with family and friends. Many years ago, I was reminded of how things can get out of hand fast. I was a teen when my Uncle took our family out on his boat, moored in the canal behind his Florida home. It was a great summer day on the water until on our return trip one of the out-drive steering components snapped while we were at cruising speed. All the passengers were thrown to one side as the boat veered on a crash course toward concrete pilings for a new dock on the edge of the narrow waterway!
I am reminded of how often that same thing happens in our lives with our words. James uses the analogy of a ship’s rudder to illustrate the control that our words have for good or evil.
One of the great advantages of the spiritual discipline of journaling, is that it can help us to identify areas where the Lord is working in our lives. Many months ago, I noticed how many of my Bible reading highlights focused on the importance of the tongue. King David understood the challenge and repeatedly brought it before the Lord for help. He writes, “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.” (Psalm 19:14). Speaking of his desire for spiritual maturity in Psalm 141 he prays, “Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips!” (Psalm 141:3). Our Lord Jesus reminds us that the real source of our words is the place where our emotions and desires dwell, our heart. “For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” (Matthew 12:34).
James reminds us of the greatest need for Jesus’ followers is to take control of the rudder of our tongue. “For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body.” (James 3:2). Peter chimes in, “For “Whoever desires to love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit.” (1 Peter 3:10). What stands out about these verses is that this is something that is the believer’s responsibility.
There is much that could be said here. Let me offer three take-aways: 1. Be quick to listen and slow to speak. Self-control is the spiritual equivalent to hands on the rudder. It is one of the fruits from our private investment of being saturated with God’s truth. 2. Speak that which is helpful. This enable us to be a channel of God’s grace into the lives of others and not a barrier. If we cannot say something gracious, we shouldn’t say it. 3. Cut out the crass, crude and colored speech, and the jokes and innuendos.
Fortunately, my uncle was able to shut down the engines and my dad was able to use his hands to keep us from striking the pier. If my memory serves me correctly, the steering failure that day was caused by corrosion of a steering component. Looking back, it seems to be an overlooked preventative maintenance item. Similarly we can neglect our tongue to our own demise. This should remind us of the need for regular spiritual maintenance in our relationship with the Lord.
-Pastor Joe Parkinson