Hung by the Tongue

Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me. Whoever wrote that couldn't have been more wrong. Bones heal a lot faster than the damage words can do.

In this message from "A Faith That Works," Pastor Ron opens James 3:1–12 and digs into one of the most practical passages in all of Scripture — the power and the danger of the tongue. Titled "Hung by the Tongue," the message covers four aspects of this small but mighty member: the tongue and the teacher, the tongue and its control, the tongue and its ruin, and the tongue and its hypocrisy.

The Tongue Reveals the Heart:

One fifth of our lives is spent talking. And the tongue, as the pastor puts it, is the tattletale of the heart — it simply reports what's inside. Jesus said it plainly: out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. James is asking us to stick out our tongue and say "aah" — it's a spiritual checkup.

The Tongue and the Teacher:

James opens with a warning: don't rush to become a teacher of God's word. Those who teach carry a stricter accountability before God. Every time the pastor steps into the pulpit, the thought in his mind is from John 12:21 — "Sir, we would see Jesus." Teaching God's word isn't a platform for self-promotion; it's a responsibility that demands great care.

The Tongue — A Concealed Weapon:

James uses three illustrations — a bit in a horse's mouth, a rudder on a ship, and a small spark that sets a forest on fire. A small thing with enormous power. The tongue is the only concealed weapon every person carries, and it can be used for great good or catastrophic harm.

The Tongue and Hypocrisy:

Out of the same mouth come blessing and cursing. James says this should not be. Salt water and fresh water don't flow from the same spring. A fig tree doesn't produce olives. The inconsistency of praising God and cutting people down with the same mouth is a sign that something is wrong on the inside.