Your Words Matter More Than You Think – James 3:1-12

Words are small. In the sea of noise around you, a word appears insignificant. But don’t be fooled. Words are powerful. Words create worlds, and destroy them. They encourage or cripple. 

Words spring forth truth, love, blessings, wisdom, and beauty. Yet they also spread lies, hate, curses, folly, and sin. 

God created the world by the power of his words. And the Bible warns in Proverbs 18:21, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue.”

We’ve all experienced the life-giving and life-ending power of a small word, things said by us or to us that we carry for years.

So let’s ask ourselves, are our words really causing life or death? And why does the Bible take our words so seriously? Are they really that big of a deal?

Let’s talk about the most powerful muscle in our body by far, the tongue. 

You’ll Be Judged For Every Careless Word

We’ve been walking through the book of James, and today we’re in James 3, where we get a serious warning.

James 3:1-2 (ESV) says,

Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. ² For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body.

First, we need to understand who James is talking to. While this passage applies to all people generally, he is talking specifically to those who are teachers or want to become teachers in the church.

Why?

One day, we will all stand before the Lord at the final judgment, and those who take on the responsibility of teaching the Bible will be judged with greater strictness. 

Sit with that for a moment. 

We will be on our faces before the all-powerful, holy God of all creation. And, as Jesus says, “on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak” (Matt 12:36).

That’s a scary thought. How many careless words have you said in your life? You’ll be held accountable for them.

And teachers in the church will be judged with even more strictness. Why? 

Teachers command a higher level of power and respect. It is a lofty position that receives a lot of attention. And many ambitious people can seek teacher status for the wrong reasons.

Along with great influence comes great responsibility. There is literally “greater judgment” for teachers in the church, and I would also include this new era of YouTube teachers or Podcasters. 

If you step into the role of a teacher who claims to instruct people on the ways of the Lord, you’d better be ready for the weight of that calling.

Your words have greater potential to harm. A careless word spoken could cause all sorts of misunderstandings, confusion, and bad theology, leading people astray. 

The Bible reserves some of its harshest words for false teachers, and you do not want to become one of them.

And when people ask me about how to know if you are called to ministry, I always warn them, “Don’t do it, unless you feel so compelled to teach the Bible that you cannot do anything else.” 

Know that if you go down this path, you are taking a weighty responsibility on your shoulders. It is a blessing and a burden to teach the Bible. You must hold yourself to a higher standard, because God will. You’d better know your Bible really well, understand sound doctrine, and ensure that you live a life above reproach so you do not lead anyone astray.

So check your heart. Why do you want to become a pastor or Bible teacher? Are there any impure motives? Is it for the fame and glory? If your motives aren’t pure, turn back now.

James continues this warning, and it isn’t just for teachers. It applies to every one of us.

1. The Tongue Directs.

³ If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. ⁴ Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. ⁵ So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. (James 3:3-5)

James says our tongues are like bits in a horse’s mouth or the rudder on a ship. Though small, it directs the body of a beast or boat. And in the context of a teacher in the church, it applies to the body of believers. 

Preaching is the rudder of the church. It has great power to steer people’s lives. Good preaching steers the church along the straight and narrow path, impacting generations of faithful Christians. Bad preaching steers people down a path of confusion or apathy. And worst of all, false teaching can lead thousands astray. 

Even outside the church, you may have had somebody give you advice, encouragement, or tell you what they think you should do. And you may have followed that advice and been thankful you did, or regretted it because it was bad advice.

Our words direct. They have power to steer people’s lives. That is not inconsequential. We make real impacts on people just by what we say, the advice we share, the behavior we encourage or discourage.

That alone shows the power of our words, but there’s more. 

2. The Tongue Destroys.

How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! ⁶ And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. ⁷ For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, ⁸ but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. (James 3:5-8)

Like a match, though small, our words have the power to destroy even a mighty forest. 

In the ancient world, few things were more feared than fires. They didn’t have the same resources to fight fires that we do today. A small spark could incinerate a forest or devour an entire city. And James says, our tongues carry this same danger to destroy. 

Then James switches analogies again, compares the tongue to a restless, untamable, poisonous creature. We have tamed nearly every creature known to man. But we have not been able to tame the tongue. And the tongue’s poison spreads to those who hear its venomous words. 

Just think about some of the things people have said that poisoned you. Maybe a harsh comment, an insult that hit your deepest insecurity. Maybe it was a parent or authority figure who shattered your dreams with harsh words; you could never do this, be that, or live up to their standards. The tongue is destructive and dangerous. 

Ideas can also be poisonous. Corrupt ideologies, false theologies, misinformation, and worldly wisdom spread like poison and have caused more harm to the world than a thousand missiles.

The point is that, like fire or poison, our words are a powerful tool when harnessed for good, and destructive when used carelessly or maliciously.

3. The Tongue Discloses

 ⁹ With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. ¹⁰ From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. ¹¹ Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? ¹² Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water. (James 3:9-12)

From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. We praise God and then curse people, who God created in his image. 

How dare we claim to worship God, praising him in church, and then turning the next day to insult, gossip, slander, or shame people God created in his image? Do you think that is honoring to God? Does that please him?

No way!

If you say that you love me, and then you insult my children, how do you think I am going to feel about that? Will we still be good? Absolutely not. If you insult my kids, you are insulting me. And God feels similarly when you say curses and horrible things about his children. It is not just harmless gossip and careless words. It’s serious sin. 

James compares it to fresh water and salt water coming out of the same spring. That’s impossible. The salt will ruin the fresh water. Or it’s like saying a fig tree produces olives, or a grape vine produces figs. Or getting fresh water from a salt pond. 

James says that our words reflect what comes from our hearts. If our heart is wicked (salt water), it won’t produce fresh water. All of the good things we say are stained by the bad. 

In other words, the tongue discloses the unrighteousness of our hearts. The words we say reveal the condition of our soul. As Jesus said, “out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks” (Matt 12:34).

Words will betray your heart.

Christians should speak differently from the rest of the world, not participating in lies, gossip, slander, cursing, and other foul talk. If we genuinely believe in Jesus and devote our lives to him, it should change our hearts to be more like his. And as the Lord purifies our hearts, it will purify our speech too.

Our words disclose our inner selves. You might be able to fake it for a little while, but eventually your true self will spill out through your words. 

What Do Your Words Say About You?

So what do your words reveal about your heart today?

If you are a Christian, and even more so if you are taking the role of a Christian teacher or preacher, do your words reflect a heart genuinely changed by God?

And when the stain of sin in your heart comes out in your words, do you justify it because everybody is doing it? Or do you recognize it as sin, and humbly repent? 

None of us are perfect, and the tongue is hard to tame. But that doesn’t mean that we give up trying to honor God with every word that leaves our lips. 

Because we will give an account on the day of judgment for every careless, hurtful, destructive, lying, gossipy, slanderous, vengeful, poisonous word we have ever spoken.

So praise Jesus for his grace and mercy. Because I have said more than enough careless words in my life to be guilty, and you have too.

The only reason any of us have hope with our words is that God doesn’t just demand better speech; he offers a new heart. And a new heart, over time, produces new words.

So this week, before you speak, ask yourself: Will these words build or destroy?

And if there is somebody you’ve hurt with your careless words, apologize today.