James 3:1 ¶ My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation. 2 For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body. 3 Behold, we put bits in the horses’ mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body. 4 Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth. 5 Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! 6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell. 7 For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind: 8 But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. 9 Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. 10 Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be. 11 Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter? 12 Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh.
Masters in this context are
teachers.
Malachi 2:12
The LORD will cut off the man that doeth this, the master and the
scholar, out of the tabernacles of Jacob, and him that offereth an offering
unto the LORD of hosts.
Matthew 23:8
But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all
ye are brethren. (A Rabbi is a teacher.)
Teachers must be careful of what they say and
how they handle God’s word. In fact, this whole passage warns us of how
powerful our speech is to uplift or to condemn. Our speech shows others what we
are just as the fruit we display tells others what kind of a metaphorical tree
we are. See Galatians 5 and the fruit of the Spirit. Does your speech reflect
this?
Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy,
peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is
no law.
Pastors and teachers are set to a higher
standard in that they have the ear of many rather than just musing on their own
but we all are teachers to our children and to the new Christian and the
unsaved. What proceeds out of our mouths must count for something which is why
I have much trouble when people ask me off the cuff questions about the Bible
and I haven’t had time to think and pray about them and study. “What do you
think about this, Fred?” seems like an invitation for me to step into a
minefield that has already blown off the legs of many others so if I look at
you strangely when you ask me a question don’t be offended. It is terror
welling up inside me.
Ephesians 4:29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of
your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister
grace unto the hearers.
Colossians 4:6 Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned
with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.
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