Recently I had a dream. In my dream, I saw a number of people whom I could only recognize as probably missionaries. This bold company of people were preparing to share the gospel and reach out a number of people and tribes. They prayed. They prepared. But what stunned me afterwards is to see that the same people were hacked to death and killed. When I saw what happened I run and run away from the scene out of fear for my life and mortified at what happened. Upon waking up I wondered what it was. Then I remembered Proverbs 18:21, Life and death is in the power of the tongue.

Ang buhay at kamatayan ay sa dila nakasalalay. My friends, our tongue have the power to cut, hack, assassinate, brutalize or bless our love ones and people. You have to decide which outcome you like. Every time new leaders are elected, people examine their characters and select the ones they like best. Sometimes, those who do not have character at all try to bring about issues about the life of the other candidate in hopes to destroy his bid for a position. In churches, some people who have never forgiven their brothers and sisters continue to speak evil about them, creating issues and strifes. Yes, our tongue can be brutal, ruthless and killer.

Sometimes even our missionaries who risk their lives abroad are slandered by the same people who were supposed to be praying for them and sending them reliefs. Many of these missionaries suffer hunger, lack adequate clothing and often lonely. But what breaks their heart more is to find churches at home who quarrels because of them, about their financial supports and stabs them at the back with negative words. Today did we think of praying for them? Today did we think of sending refreshments about them?

Many missionaries, couples, families, churches, and even nations have been ripped apart because of gossips and accusations. Their character were assassinated and brutalized by the same people who were supposed to be helping them, interceding and praying over them. James writes that the tongue is an unruly evil, that no man can tame; it is a deadly poison and is set on fire by hell. It can corrupt a person. By our tongue we praise God and by our tongue we curse and accuse others.

Lubhang marami pong mga tao, misyonero, magkakaibigan, mag-asawa, magkumpare, magkakapamilya at mga simbahan at bansa ang nalagay sa panganib, suntukan, bulyawan, awayan, tampuhan at pati kamatayan dahil sa matatalim na dila, mga balitang hindi totoo at mga sumbatan na walang katuturan. Hindi man siguro alam ng mga taong ito ang kanilang ginagawa o ang kalalabasan ng kanilang ginagawa pero dahil sa kanilang dila, marami ang nalalagay sa alanganin at marahil kahit kamatayan. Alam nyu po bang ang maliit na parte ng katawan ng tao, ang dila natin ay pwedeng maging sanhi ng sunog, suliranin at maging kamatayan? Our topic for today is how to keep our tongue from evil. How do we sanctify our tongue. Let us read James 3:1-12.

My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment. For we all stumble in many things. If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body.
Indeed, we put bits in horses’ mouths that they may obey us, and we turn their whole body.
Look also at ships: although they are so large and are driven by fierce winds, they are turned by a very small rudder wherever the pilot desires.
Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things. See how great a forest a little fire kindles!
And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell.
For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind.
But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.
With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God.
Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so. Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening? Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh.

There are four things that we can immediately notice from this passage about our tongue, it can be used to judge, lead, destroy or build others up. Pwede pong makahatol, maging patnubay, makasira o magdala ng kabutihan and ating dila. Ayon kay James, me anim na paglalarawan ang karaniwang gamit sa dila, ang bit (bokado), ang rudder (timon), ang apoy at kamandag, ang puno at bukal ng buhay. Ang pakikipagusap at pagsasalita ng tao ay handog ng Diyos at isa sa kahangahangang taglay ng tao sapagkat ito ang unang pagkakilanlan sa atin. Sa pamamagitan ng maayos at mabuting salita tayo ay nakakatulong sa ibang tao ngunit sa pamamagitan din ng salita, tayo ay nakakasakit din sa ibang tao. Upang maging mapagtimpi, marahan at mapagpigil tayo sa ating pananalita, pag-aralan natin ang apat na layunin ng mabuting pananalita.

1. Let not many of you become teachers.

This warning of James emanates from the desire of many to become preachers and teachers to others. They think that with the position and authority to teach, they are better than others. But we are advised here that we must be cautious on being teachers to others because our judgment will be stricter than others.

Every time we teach, we should be faithful to check if our lives are also in line with our teachings. God hates hypocricy. But James is not saying you cannot teach. He is only saying that we should be careful to teach and do.  This is why Paul urged young Timothy to walk circumspectly, and to study the word of God well so that he could save himself and his hearers. “Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you” (1 Timothy 4:16). Sometimes people think that by desiring to be teachers of the law, they are masters over the others. They spy out the faults of others. Instead of learning how to build others up, they are looking for another way to destroy others by their words. They Judge others as unworthy to be members of their group, they gossip about the latest mistake of another brother or sister. They watchout for the mistakes of their pastors and leaders and then talk maliciously about them. This is the attitude of many Pharisees. They are full of pride and they set themselves apart as if more holy than the ordinary members of the synagogues. We are told:

Do not speak evil of one another, brethren. He who speaks evil of a brother and judges his brother, speaks evil of the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. There is one Lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy. Who are you to judge another?  James 4:11-12

Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. Matthew 7:1-2

The moment we try to hurl accusations on others, we are judging a fellow for whom the Lord also died to save. We are not the Law Giver, we do not have the authority to be judges or masters over others. We are only given the authority to judge our own behaviors and to use our tongue to encourage others not to accuse them of wrong doing.

2. The tongue can be used to lead or mislead others like bits and rudders.

This is what it means when James compares the tongue to bits and bridle that are used to communicate with a horse. And to a rudder that is used to direct ships and even airplanes. These equipment are very small compared to the body that they direct, so small in fact that they are often unseen and unknown but they control the whole body. He writes that “Indeed, we put bits in horses’ mouths that they may obey us, and we turn their whole body. Look also at ships: although they are so large and are driven by fierce winds, they are turned by a very small rudder wherever the pilot desires. In the same manner, our tongues can be used to lead others into the right path or destroy them. Think about the power of bit and bridle in the hands of a mighty horseman, it steadies a strong horse while a rudder under the control of a wise navigator can direct a whole ship into the right course during storms.

Solomon writes that “Death and life are in the power of the tongue” (Proverbs 18:21) And king David wrote, "I will watch my ways and keep my tongue from sin” (Psalm 39:1 NIV). Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; Keep watch over the door of my lips. Do not incline my heart to any evil thing, to practice wicked works with men who work iniquity; And do not let me eat of their delicacies” (Psalm 141:3-4). Do not underestimate the power of your words, because it can impact lives forever. By the words that we speak we will be judged.

Jesus use words to encourage the woman from the well, and because she was so encouraged, she brought a whole city into revival. Because John the Baptist preached that Jesus is the Lamb of God, John, James and Andrew came to know Jesus,  and they brought to Him their own brothers and families. And when Peter opened his mouth and preached during Pentecost, more than 3000 people were saved that day.

It could be possible that many of you were hurt because of the words of others, but many also have been restored because of the faithful words of friends. How many housewives have been spared the brunt of embarrassments and depression because of faithful friends who comforted and strengthened them with their prayers and encouragements? Yes our tongues are like bits and rudders that can lead people to the right paths, let us use it for healing, caring and imparting courage to others. The tongue of the wise brings healing.

3. The third issue on tongues is that it is like fire and poisonous animals.

Without God’s help and direction, our tongues can destroy and poison others. Just as James writes that “the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell.” How many acres of forests and houses have been lost yearly because of a cigarette butt? Most of the forest fires that happen during summer around the world are sometimes caused by cigarette buts that were thrown by careless campers or bon fires that were left burning.

These small fires then spread out to destroy vast acres of forests and properties, including buildings and commercial centers. Next time you see a cigarrtee but or a small spark, think how costly it could destroy a town. Likewise the tongue can also spread strifes and divisions and they don’t usually start out as a big issue. Most often the root could be a disgruntled member who dislike the praise worship style, has personal issues with the pastor or unresolved issues with other members.

Like small holes on a ship, strifes and divisions spread out like cancer on others through whispering mouths. Every time we use our tongue to divide the Lord’s house, we are hurting His body more than actually contributing for the cause of winning the lost or unifying the church. A church split is like a hell on a rampage among believers. It is like a family that has been just through a divorce. There maybe settlements, there maybe lawsuits, but in the end no one actually wins. Everyone is a loser.

Saints, whenever you have issues with others, tell them personally and do not speak about their backs. When they hear you and you convinced them, then you have won them to your cause. But if they don’t and they explain their sides, let us be satisfied. Whatever your issues are, you can always resolve that in a dignified manner without destroying each other. This is why James also describes the tongue to be like a poison. You only need a small amount of poison to deal a lethal blow. The bite of a cobra can paralyse you in few minutes. Even the spit of a cobra can lead to blindness.

Where there is no wood, the fire goes out; And where there is no talebearer, strife ceases.
As charcoal is to burning coals, and wood to fire, So is a contentious man to kindle strife. Proverbs 26:20-21 (Namamatay ang apoy kung ubos na ang kahoy; nahihinto ang away kapag walang nanunulsol. Kung ang baga'y nagdidikit dahil sa pag- ihip, at nagliliyab ang apoy kung maraming gatong, patuloy ang labu-labo kung maraming mapanggulo. BMBB)

Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one. Colossians 4:6 (Sikapin ninyong laging maging kaaya-aya at kapaki-pakinabang ang inyong pananalita sa kanila, at matuto kayong sumagot nang tama sa sinumang nagtatanong. BMBB)

Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. Ephesians 4:29 (Huwag kayong gumamit ng masasamang salita; lagi ninyong sikapin na ang pangungusap ninyo'y makakabuti at angkop sa pagkakataon upang pakinabangan ng mga makakarinig. BMBB)

It is therefore very important that our tongue should be set on fire by heaven and not by hell otherwise this could lead to destruction. Like the Apostles at Pentecost, it can be set on fire from heaven! If God lights the fire and controls it, then our tongue becomes a mighty tool for winning the lost and for building others up. The most important thing is that our heart should be filled with God’s love so that God will light the fire and cause grace, blessings and light to flow from us. But if we nurse bitterness, this could be set on fire by hell.

4. The tongue can be like a fountain and a tree.

The Bible often speaks of streams of living water and fountain of life such as when the Lord Jesus spoke to the Samaritan woman at the well, about fountains of living water (John 4).

Whoever guards his mouth and tongue keeps his soul from troubles. Proverbs 21:23
(Ang pumipigil sa kanyang dila ay umiiwas sa masama. BMBB)

The words of a man's mouth are deep waters; The wellspring of wisdom is a flowing brook. Proverbs 18:4 (Ang wika ng tao ay bukal ng karunungan, parang dagat na malalim at malamig na batisan. BMBB)

The law of the wise is a fountain of life, to turn one away from the snares of death. Proverbs 13:14

The mouth of the righteous is a well of life, but violence covers the mouth of the wicked. Proverbs 10:11

Water provides refreshment and cleansing. We need water daily in order to function well. In fact man cannot live for a few more days without water, he will dehydrate. Out tongues are supposed to be used for building up others so that they can be refreshed. Paul speaks about people who often refreshed him. When we think of Paul, we only think about his works and how great he is but we fail to think about the people in his life who contributed significantly to his labors and refreshments, for instance, he talks about Priscilla and Aquilla, the Macedonian and Philippian churches as well as Philemon.

We should be the same towards our brothers and sisters when they are sick, weak or when they need something. Let us assure them of God’s love instead of trying to condemn them or accuse them. In addition, water can also cleanse us as we use in bathing or during fasting. Likewise every word that we speak or write, we must also hope that it will only lead others to greater intimacy and love with God. That it will sanctify them instead of make them dirty or foul. We are therefore to speak the truth only out of love and no intention to clubber the head of others.

The tongue can also be like a tree that bears fruit. Yes if we use our tongue well to instill great values to our families and kids, they will become like oaks of righteousness that will produce their fruit in due season and whose leaf does not wither. But we are forewarned, there can be no mixing of fruits. If there is an issue of inconsistency here, let us humble ourselves and ask God to fill our hearts with His words and use us to bring delight to others.

“But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man.” Matthew 15:18

“Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life.” Proverbs 4:23

Let us be wise, when we need to say sorry to others, let us say we are truly sorry, and if we meant that we love others, let us say that we love them truly, and when we say im praying for you let us truly pray for others.