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.
James 3:2
This verse broadens the scope of the dangers of speech from teachers to all people.* James extends the difficult task of taming the tongue to all humanity.* How has taming your tongue gone for you?
Have you ever said anything that you regret? Have you ever spoken out of turn, looked foolish because what you said, or destroyed someone else with verbal daggers? We’ve all failed in some way through our speech.
For teachers, James offers this frightening insight: the damage from incorrect instruction can have grave results, and sooner or later, because teachers are human, every teacher will do damage.* This is terrifying to me.
Pause.
“Every teacher will do damage.”
Consider.
Knowing this, who would ever want to be a teacher?! The guarantee of damage done ought to be enough to make anyone run from teaching. Yet, God calls many to teach.
What about you? Has God called you to be a teacher to your children? Has God called you to teach others at work or even in an educational or church setting? Do your words teach something to those around you who look up to you?
The words of James are directed toward those who specifically desire to be teachers in the church, but he extends the warning of the difficulty of not stumbling in what we say to everyone. Surely, the principle is the same for all of us: we all stumble in what we say, and we all run the risk of leading someone else astray in a damaging way.
I’ll be honest. The risk of hurting others almost made me run away from God’s call on my life. Instead, I’m fearfully moving forward, praying that God continues to bring me toward the perfection that James refers: not complete sinlessness, but wholeness and complete maturity.*
Today, take a step.
Maybe today the one step God wants you to take is to take note of what you say. Perhaps today God wants you to repent and ask forgiveness from someone you have hurt with words. Maybe today God wants you to consider who leans on your teaching. Perhaps today God wants you to examine your teaching against His Word.
Whatever the step, ask God to direct it. Take a moment to take that step. Invite Him to speak. He will.
Life is a long road. Walk it with Jesus.
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*Blomberg, C. L., & Kamell, M. J. (2008). James (Vol. 16, pp. 152–154). Zondervan.
Guthrie, G. H. (2006). James. In T. Longman III & D. E. Garland (Eds.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Hebrews–Revelation (Revised Edition) (Vol. 13, p. 245). Zondervan.
Stulac, G. M. (1993). James (Jas 3:2–5). IVP Academic.
Moo, D. J. (2021). The Letter of James (D. A. Carson, Ed.; Second Edition, pp. 186–189). William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.
Nystrom, D. P. (1997). James (pp. 175–176). Zondervan Publishing House.