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| Sticks and Stones (James 3:1-12) | |||||
 Printer Friendly Version - opens in separate window How often have we told each other that, "Sticks and stones may break my bones but names will never hurt me"? Such sayings are designed to give us perspective, strength and courage in the face of some verbal assault or another. We tell it to our children, hoping it will help them get through a difficult period of unpopularity perhaps, or to ourselves to help us get over a time of conflict when hurtful things are said.It isn't true though, is it? It may help us deal with the immediate situation but we all know that names can be exceedingly hurtful. Children have suffered years of self-doubt and worry into adulthood as a result of a piece of schoolyard taunting; Politicians have lost elections and prominent people have had reputations ruined by a little name-calling. We know that it needn't be true, it is enough that it is said to change someone's whole world for the worse. As James points out: "The tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts...The tongue is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire...It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison" (Js.3:5-7) This truth is so widely accepted and unchallenged that James uses a series of familiar and well used images to drive home his point. Of course, the uncontrolled tongue is a frequent theme in the Old Testament but even in the secular world the images used by James were well known. In the 5th century BC Sophocles writes into one of his plays, "I know that spirited horses are broken by the use of a small bit". Again, Aristotle had, long ago, observed that the huge mass of a ship was controlled by a small rudder. Likewise, James wrote: "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 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" (v.v. 3-5) James isn't so much "borrowing" from others' writings to make his illustrations as drawing on something that is common knowledge in the wider culture. The tongue does make great boasts, i.e. has great importance and can legitimately claim to have a profound effect on a person's life and destiny. Phillip's paraphrase puts it: "The human tongue is physically small, but what tremendous effects it can boast of!" James is telling people what they already know - but do not act upon. The wounds inflicted by sticks and stones heal, but the wounds inflicted by the tongue can remain a lifetime. This is no better illustrated than in the example of teachers of the gospel. James begins this passage: "Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly" (v.1) The influence of a teacher can be profound and the tongue is his instrument for good or ill. As someone once observed, "Words are also works". Those who seek to teach need to be aware of the implications. They place themselves under greater scrutiny. Are they teaching by example as well as precept? People will want to know and will be watching closely to see. They carry a greater responsibility because those they teach, both by precept and example, take what is taught into the rest of their lives. Today, even as in James' day, we sometimes see people attracted to the teaching role for the wrong reasons, not realising the onerous responsibility it is. "Not many of you should presume to be teachers", James warns. The tongue can also make us hypocrites: "With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be" (v.v.9,10) James honestly identifies with the problem, saying, "We all stumble in many ways", but goes on: "If anyone is not at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check" (v2) In this ministry we do presume to teach, formally and informally, and James' words are especially applicable. We need to take them to heart and teach the truth, teach it in love, live it in our lives and, recognising that we do all stumble in many ways, nevertheless, the battle to control the tongue must be won every day if we are to bear the close scrutiny that teaching brings and keep ourselves disciplined in the service of our Lord. |
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