In the third Chapter of James, he uses three illustrations to explain the power of the tongue. It’s like a bit in the horse’s mouth, able to control the entire animal. It’s like a rudder on the stern of the ship, capable of changing the direction of the entire vessel. The third illustration pictures the destructive nature of the tongue comparing it to a small spark or flame capable of burning down an entire forest. One cannot help but notice that the bit and the rudder speak to us of the positive potential use of one of the smallest parts of our bodies, the tongue. The third speaks to us of the potential danger, yet we shouldn’t miss the idea that fire in the fireplace is also a power for good. When it comes to the use of our tongues, it can be used for good or for evil. Proverbs 15:4 says, “Kind words bring life, but cruel words crush your spirit.”
What a great opportunity we have to do so much good with such a small thing as our words. As a grandparent, I often think my parenting days are over. But the truth is, they never end. At long last, I’m learning some of the more important lessons regarding raising healthy and happy families. Addressing grandparents and great-grandparents, Dennis Rainey, the founder of the Family Life Seminars, says, “With kind acts and encouraging words, older people can influence the course of their family’s future. The opposite is true as well: A bitter, cynical old person can sow a legacy of low self-esteem, despair, and pessimism.”
Solomon, the man recognized by many as the wisest man in the world, said in Proverbs 25:11, “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver.” Think about that! Just as an artist labors over his craft, so too does a wise person delicately choose his words. Apples of gold possibly refer to a love gift: broach, bracelet, necklace, or pendant, finely fashioned of the two most precious metals known to man. David Jeremiah writes, “It is a blessing beyond description to see the spirits of a person rise, the life restored to their eyes, as a result of a healing word from your own lips. Such words are as sweet and healthful as honey (16:24) and as beautiful as apples of gold in a setting of silver (25:11). The next time you marvel at a beautiful and costly display of precious jewels and artwork, remember that is how God sees a powerful word spoken at just the right time.”