" Preventing Forest Fires"

Sermon by Pastor David Layman

September 17, 2006

James 3:1-12

The tongue, though small, has great power. James compares the tongue to
the bit in the mouth of a horse, and a small rudder which guides a great
ship. But the human tongues power is often used in destructive ways!
How great a forest is set ablaze by a small fire! (3:5). As a child, I
remember Smokey the Bear on commercials intoning Remember, only you can
prevent forest fires! Perhaps we need to hear Smokey warn us of the
dangers of gossip and incendiary talk! When we hear someone else say
something inflammatory, its like we hold in one hand a bucket of water,
and in the other, a gallon of gas. How we respond can either help put
out the blaze, or set the whole neighborhood on fire! James goes on to
venture that the tongue itself is set on fire by hell. Its not when the
cat has our tongue that we need to be wary. Its when the Devil gets
hold of our tongue that the trouble begins! James points to the ironic
fact that the tongue can be the instrument for great good. With the
tongue we can praise God. But with the tongue we can also curse others
who are made in the likeness of God.

Its not just in chapter 3 that James speaks about the tongue! In James
1:19, we are encouraged to be quick to listen, but slow to speak, and
slow to anger. Human nature often reverses this teaching: Were slow to
hear, quick to speak, and easily angered! Calvin Coolidge became vice
president after having served as Governor of Massachusetts. His
successor as governor, Channing Cox, paid Coolidge a visit in
Washington. Cox asked how Coolidge how, in his years as governor,
Coolidge was able to see so many visitors in a day, and still be able to
leave the office by 5 PM. Cox found himself not being able to leave
until 9 PM some nights. Coolidge responded You talk back. Being slow
to speak, or not talking back at all, can significantly shorten many
conversations! Have not many of us found ourselves wishing we had been
slower to speak, because our words got us into trouble? Theres no law
against pausing to think and pray before we respond. A more common
response is that we begin to talk, hoping that as we talk well come up
with something to say! Abraham Lincoln once said Its better to be
thought a fool, and remain silent, than to speak up, and remove all
doubt! Jesus noted of the Pharisees prayers, They think they will be
heard for their many words.

In James 1:26 we read If any think they are religious, and do not
bridle their tongues but deceive their hearts, their religion is
worthless. In James 2:3 and following, James notes the dangers of
people using their tongues to flatter the rich, and be scornful of the
poor. In 2:16, James points out the uselessness of wishing the poor
well, but not doing anything practical to help them. In James 2:18, he
mentions the superficial speech of those who verbally claim to have
faith, but whose lives dont show the evidence of accompanying deeds. In
James 4:11 we read Do not speak evil against one another..., and in
James 5:9 Do not grumble against one another. If human beings ceased
to speak evil against one another, and stopped grumbling, it would be a
very quiet world in which to live!

In the olden days, I used to think of the radio as primarily something
we could turn on to listen to music. That was before talk radio. The
growing popularity of talk radio is amazing. NPR carries interviews
that are primarily informative. But many other programs consist of
people calling in and talking, and radio shows hire announcers to egg
people on to pontificate and criticize others. The general public
evidently finds it entertaining to listen to people call in and express
their opinions. But there are times when character assassination seems
to take place on talk radio. Someone needs to read James 1:19 to those
on talk radio, and to others being interviewed on similar television
shows: Let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger.
Many a time I heard my mother express her own summary of James wisdom
If you cant say something nice about someone, dont say anything at
all. Im sure I heard this from my mother so often, because I was
saying something critical or negative about another. But thats a lesson
we all need to take to heart!

Being a pastor, Ive had the opportunity to hear many share their pain
and struggles. Ive heard people express deep regret for their own sin
and shortcomings. Ive come to see that very few of us really know the
depths of the struggles others face. We rarely know much of another
persons history or background. We only catch a glimpse of others, upon
which we come to many conclusions. But it may be a part of our own
sinful nature that leads us to delight in the failures and shortcomings
of others. As long as we talk about their sins, we think the world wont
be looking at our own. But God knows whats going on. And Gods desire,
as was expressed by Jesus, is that we take the log out of our own eye,
before we seek to remove the speck from a neighbors!

James spoke of how great a forest can be set ablaze by a small fire.
This is certainly true of gossip. And its also true of harsh, unkind,
demeaning words. I have listened to people who have been deeply wounded
by the words of parents, spouses, siblings, peers. Some of the unkind
things people say are likely quickly forgotten by the one saying them,
but long and painfully remembered by the one hearing them. Harsh,
scornful words, put downs, are like a blow torch creating scorched
earth. John Calvin, in his commentary on this passage from James, notes
They who are... severe towards others shall undergo a heavier
judgment. Remember hearing these words: When you point one finger at
another, youre pointing three back at yourself?

What we really need are nurturing words, like rainfall, which loosen the
hard soil of life, refresh us, help us grow. Kim Wiese tells of a mens
Bible study group he participated in. One of the men shared that he had
not passed the test for his professional license. He would not be able
to take the licensing test again for another year. Tears of
discouragement filled his eyes as he spoke. The men prayed with him, and
then began to share. One man related an experience when he had given up,
and then God helped him. Another shared I lost everything, but God....
Another continued I thought I would never succeed, but God... These
men used the words God gave them to share times when they had failed and
struggled, yet God had faithfully led them through. That meeting had a
positive conclusion. But had the men responded with silence, and in the
parking lot afterwards talked with one another about how Old Bob sure
messed up, the meeting would have had a negative conclusion! (Upper
Room, 5/29/1998).

James 3:10 notes that From the same mouth come blessing and cursing.
The tongues that can set a great forest ablaze can also be used to bless
and encourage others. Sherry Elmer tells of how she met her friend Ann
for lunch. Ann was beaming, and told her Im having such a good week. I
went to visit my mother on Sunday. She is such a good mother, but I have
never told her how much I appreciated her or how much I love her. I
finally told her what a wonderful job she did raising her children and
what a fine example she set for us. Ive felt exhilarated ever since.
Thanking her made me feel wonderful. (11/28/98 UPPER ROOM.)

Our tongues can burn down a forest, slice another human being in two.
But they can also praise God, and water the parched lives of others
about us.

What do you want to use your tongue for this week?