You will hear over 4,000 words in the next twenty-five minutes. That’s not bad when you consider that in a fourteen-hour day you will hear 70,000 words and say 70,000 words – that is, if you give as much time to listening as you do talking. I love the courage of one older gentleman who said to his wife, “Honey, when you get to heaven, the first thing that God is going to notice is that your mouth is wore out, but your ears are brand new.”

It is important that we watch our words because words make a difference. It took Jesus just 56 words in his Lord’s prayer to make a difference in the way we pray. It took Abraham Lincoln 266 words in his Gettysburg Address to make a difference in the way we see men and women who give their lives for our country. It took God 297 words in the Ten Commandments to change the way we see Him and our fellow man. And it took 300 words in the Declaration of Independence to forever change the way we see ourselves as a nation.

Words are powerful. It does not take many of them to make a difference. Some policy makers don’t understand that. In 1988, it took policy makers in America nearly 27,000 words just to set the price of cabbage. Yet, James understands the power of words. James understands the difference words can make. Of all the New Testament writers, none speaks of word management more than James. He refers to the power of words in every chapter of his book. All his addresses on our use of words can be filed under a three-word theme – “Watch Your Words!”

James 3:1-12 is his most concentrated address on the use of words. Here, we find several significant reasons for watching our words.

God Plans to use Words to Reach the World

The first reason we need to watch our words is that God plans to use our words to reach the world. In I Corinthians 1:21b, Paul wrote, “God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe.” It seems Paul can’t believe that God would use words to solve the greatest mystery of mankind – how to reclaim a relationship with God. Yet, if you look at what Jesus said in Matthew 28:19-20, you will notice that it has always been God’s plan to use words to reach the world. Not only did He plan to use words to reclaim us, he planned to use words to teach us how to have a closer relationship with Him. Jesus said, “Go and make disciples of all nations, . . . teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.”

When we address teaching those who have been reached, then James says, “Watch your words.” James 3:1 states,

Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.

“Teachers” in the early church were given the same respect as “Rabbis” among the Jews. “Rabbis” were given such respect, that if an enemy held your parents and your Rabbi for ransom, it would be understandable for you to pay for your Rabbi first, because your Rabbi taught the words of life.¹

James understood that teachers should be respected because of the words they taught. But he adds that with that respect comes responsibility, and with that responsibility comes accountability. Teachers will be held accountable for protecting the golden words of God.

In I Kings 10, King Solomon had 300 shields of gold made to hang in his palace. By I Kings 14, Solomon’s son Rehoboam was king. He led the people away from God, so God allowed the King of Egypt to raid Jerusalem. The treasury of the temple was robbed, and Solomon’s golden shields were stolen. To save embarrassment, Rehoboam had the golden shields of his father replaced by bronze ones of his own.

James is telling teachers that you are held responsible for keeping the golden words of God held high in His church. Furthermore, you will be held accountable if you take any one of them down and replace it with a bronze opinion of your own. James says to teachers, “Watch your words, because God plans to use your words to equip the saints to reach the world.” These words are not only good for teachers of God’s Word, they are good for all who want to live God’s Word.

You Will Either Control Your Words,
or They Will Control You

The second reason for watching your words involves control. If you don’t control your words, they will control you. This reason affects us all. James 3:2 states,

We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check

James says that we all have problems with words. Yet some have moredifficulty than others. One man proudly announced to his new pastor, “Pastor, you’ll never wonder where I stand. I hold nothing back. I say whatever is on my mind.” To the man’s surprise, the pastor gently replied, “I’m sorry. I’m sure that gets you in a lot of trouble.”

James says that perfect people know how to control their words. You may think, “There are no perfect people.” There are, if you understand the word James uses for “perfect.” It is the same word used by Paul in Philippians 3:12. Both Paul and James use it to refer to spiritual maturity. The inability to control your words is a sign of immaturity. When you are spiritually immature, your words write checks a body can’t cash. Yet, controlling your words is a sign of spiritual maturity.

Paraphrasing James, he says, “Control your words and you will control your life.” Therefore, watch your words.

Words Are More Powerful Than You Think

Words also need to be watched because they are more powerful than we think. James uses three analogies to remind us of their power.

“The Bit”
James 3:3 describes the harnessing power of words.

When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal.

One of the largest horses ever recorded was a purebred Belgium stallion named Brooklyn Supreme. It stood over 19.2 hands tall and weighed over 3,200 pounds. Amazingly, the power of this 3,200-pound animal could be harnessed by a two-pound bit.²

The Bible teaches that men and women, even those larger than life, can be controlled by the smallest of words. Examples of this are seen almost every day before judges and ministers. The power to walk free is harnessed every day when a judge pounds a gavel and says one word, “Guilty.” The power to live alone is harnessed every day when a minister opens a Bible and a bride and groom repeat two words to each other, “I do.”

Words are more powerful than we realize. Like a bit they can harness our lives, or like a rudder, can set the course for our lives.

“The Rudder”
The analogy given in James 3:4 is that the tongue is as a powerful rudder and can set the course for your life.

Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go.

Often people think that the course of their lives has been decided by circumstance. The circumstances of our lives are like strong winds that blow. They may affect us, but they do not ultimately determine the course of our lives. How we respond to the circumstances and what we say about them determine the course of our lives. Our words are the rudder.

A bold example of this is the life of Job. A wealthy man with a happy family, Job had it all taken from him in one day. Winds of death and bankruptcy were at destructive speed. Yet, one statement from Job set the course for his life during disastrous times. Job said in Job 1:20-22,

20 At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship 21 and said:

"Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised."

22 In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.

Job survived these destructive circumstances in life, because he set the course of his life with his words. Job didn’t pour out his bitterness on God and blame Him. Job affirmed his dependence on God and praised Him.

“A Spark”
The analogy in James 3:5-6 reminds us that words not only can harness and direct our lives, they are powerful enough to destroy.

5 Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. 6 The tongue also 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, and is itself set on fire by hell.

James reminds us that our words are powerful enough to build or break us. They can direct or destroy us … not only us, but like a forest fire, they can destroy so much more around us.

The power of the tongue to build or break, to direct or destroy is evident in the story of the philosopher, Xanthus. Xanthus was having friends for dinner, so he ordered his servant to go to the market and buy what was best and serve it. That night they had four or five courses of tongue. Though each course was prepared differently, each course was still tongue. When the guests left the philosopher asked his servant why five courses of tongue? The servant answered, “Isn’t the tongue the organ of sociability, the organ of elegance, the organ of kindness, the organ of worship?” How could a philosopher argue with that? However, Xanthus still wanted to impress his tongue-sickened guests, so he invited them again. This time he asked his servant to go to the market and buy the worst and serve it. That night they had four or five courses of tongue. Though each course was different than what was served at the first dinner, it was still tongue. Irate, Xanthus challenged his servant, “Didn’t I tell you to buy the worst thing at the market and serve it?” “Yes,” the servant answered. Then he calmly explained, “Isn’t the tongue the organ of blasphemy, the organ of defamation, the organ of lying?”³

Xanthus had had his fill of tongue, but in doing so had learned a good lesson. The tongue is more powerful than you think. Like a bit, a rudder, or a spark, the tongue has the power to produce the best or the worst. How you use it and what you produce is up to you.

People Are Looking
For a Source They Can Trust

The first three reasons have been strong, but the last two are the strongest. The fourth reason to watch your words is because people are looking for a source they can trust. James 3:9-12 reads,

9 With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness. 10 Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. 11 Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? 12 My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.

James was familiar with the various wells that flowed from the steep cliffs along the Jordan rift and the deep gulch through which the rivers flowed. At some points along the Jordan, fresh-water wells poured clear, sparkling artesian water into the river. At other points, wells of noxious, salty, bitter water seeped into the river. I am sure that from his personal experience, James had a map in his mind of where he could find the fresh water and where to stay away from the bitter.⁴

Every day we dip from a river of words. People, like wells, pour their words into this river. It does not take us long to form a mental map. We stay away from the people whose words are bitter, and we go to the people whose words are fresh and sweet. James says it is not natural for you to pour out words of praise to God one moment and then overflow with bitter, critical words because they cannot trust what comes out of your mouth. James says to watch your words for people are constantly dipping from the river of words and are looking for a sweet source they can trust.

People See With Words

The last reason to watch your words does not come from James, but from the Greek philosopher, Socrates. Socrates lived in Athens around 400 B.C. Young men would travel great distances to sit at his feet and learn from him. One young man had made such a journey. He was filled with questions. Socrates invited him to walk with him so they could talk. Surprisingly, the young man became so overawed to be walking with Socrates that he could not say a word. After an uncomfortable length of time, Socrates broke the silence and said, “Speak, that I may see you.”

Socrates revealed a trait of human nature. The words you use will reveal who you are. They disclose your level of maturity. People will see if you can control your words or if your words are in control of you. Your words reveal whether or not you respect their power. If you speak without any regard of their power to control, change course, or destroy life, people will see it. Your words will show the condition of your heart. If you are bitter, if you are critical, if you are judgmental, your words will reveal it. On the other hand, if you see others and life with God’s eyes, your words will show it.

Not only do your words paint an accurate self-portrait of your life, they also paint a picture of God for others. God says to watch your words, not only because people will see you with them, but also because through them, they will see Him. Give them an accurate picture of God with your words.