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James 3:9-12
James 3:9-12
James must have been a great nature lover because throughout his letter you find many illustrations from nature. He’s talking about the tongue in chapter 3. He has told us that the tongue is like a bit and a rudder, it has the power to direct. And the tongue is like a poisonous animal and like a fire; it has the power to destroy. That sounds very negative and so in verses 9 through 12 of James chapter 3, James tells us that our tongues have the power to delight.
He talks about a fountain and he talks about a tree. “Therefore bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, who are made after the similitude of God.” He’s talking about how we use our tongues. “Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.” Now he answers the question by using two illustrations.
One, James 3:11, “Does the fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter?” The answer is no. Two, “Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? Either a vine, figs? So can no fountain yield salt water and fresh.” He compares your tongue and my tongue to a fountain that sends out beautiful, clean, cleansing, refreshing water. He compares the tongue to a tree that can produce fruit that can encourage and strengthen others.
The tongue is a fountain. If the heart is clean then the lips will be clean. Our Lord said, “Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks” (Matthew 12:34). When the heart is fixed on the things of the Lord the lips will speak forth the things of the Lord. The tongue is like a fountain that water should come out pure and sparkling and bright, bringing refreshing. By the way, that water can put out some of the fires that other tongues start! We should use the tongue as a beautiful fountain, water to wash the wounds that have been made by the poisonous animal.
The tongue is like a tree, providing shelter and fruit and beauty, food for others. I trust that our tongues will be used by the Holy Spirit of God to bring delight and strength and help to others in the Christian life.
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By Back to the BibleJames 3:9-12
James must have been a great nature lover because throughout his letter you find many illustrations from nature. He’s talking about the tongue in chapter 3. He has told us that the tongue is like a bit and a rudder, it has the power to direct. And the tongue is like a poisonous animal and like a fire; it has the power to destroy. That sounds very negative and so in verses 9 through 12 of James chapter 3, James tells us that our tongues have the power to delight.
He talks about a fountain and he talks about a tree. “Therefore bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, who are made after the similitude of God.” He’s talking about how we use our tongues. “Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.” Now he answers the question by using two illustrations.
One, James 3:11, “Does the fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter?” The answer is no. Two, “Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? Either a vine, figs? So can no fountain yield salt water and fresh.” He compares your tongue and my tongue to a fountain that sends out beautiful, clean, cleansing, refreshing water. He compares the tongue to a tree that can produce fruit that can encourage and strengthen others.
The tongue is a fountain. If the heart is clean then the lips will be clean. Our Lord said, “Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks” (Matthew 12:34). When the heart is fixed on the things of the Lord the lips will speak forth the things of the Lord. The tongue is like a fountain that water should come out pure and sparkling and bright, bringing refreshing. By the way, that water can put out some of the fires that other tongues start! We should use the tongue as a beautiful fountain, water to wash the wounds that have been made by the poisonous animal.
The tongue is like a tree, providing shelter and fruit and beauty, food for others. I trust that our tongues will be used by the Holy Spirit of God to bring delight and strength and help to others in the Christian life.