The Tongue – A Small But Powerful Organ

Issues2 – November 2023 – Grace & Truth Magazine

The Tongue
A Small But Powerful Organ

In James 3:2-12 we see examples of how the tongue, in spite of being small, can cause great effects. The passage cites things that should not be so, like both “blessing and cursing” going forth out of the same mouth (v.10). The old nature uses the tongue to produce evil; God causes the tongue to produce good. Our actions speak louder than our words, and we often deceive by deed as well as by word.

Adam’s And Eve’s Verbal Sin
God told man not to eat of the “tree of the knowledge of good and evil” (Gen. 2:17 ESV) and warned that death would be the result of disobedience. But Eve agreed with the comments of the serpent and decided that the fruit was “good for food … and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise” (3:6). She ate of the fruit; then by her word, and maybe by her actions, she persuaded Adam to do likewise. After this, we read that in the generations of Adam, one human being after another died, except for Enoch (Gen. 5).

Abraham’s Verbal Sin
Abraham “believed the LORD, and He counted it to him as righteousness” (15:6). Nevertheless, his tongue drew him into a deception. He feared that the men of the place to which he and Sarah had moved, Gerar, would kill him to take his wife. Therefore, Abraham said of Sarah, “She is my sister” (20:2). Technically, we might say it was not a lie but a deception. She indeed was his sister – his half-sister, the daughter of his father but not his mother (v.12). So in effect, it was a lie.

Isaac’s And Jacob’s Verbal Sin
Isaac used a lie similar to the deception previously used by his father. He too feared that the men of Gerar might kill him to obtain his attractive wife, Rebekah. When they asked him about her, he lied, replying, “She is my sister” (26:7). This was obviously a sin of the tongue.

Later, Rebekah and her favorite son, Jacob, conspired to deceive Isaac by disguising Jacob as his brother Esau (27:11-19). In so doing, they lied by their actions. However, Isaac had difficulty in seeing (v.1) and used various clues to begin to suspect the person who was standing before him was Jacob and not Esau. Isaac asked, “‘Who are you, my son?’ Jacob said to his father, ‘I am Esau, your firstborn’” (vv.18-19). To avoid getting caught in that lie, Jacob lied again when Isaac asked him, “‘Are you really my son Esau?’ He answered, ‘I am’” (v.24). When we lie, that lie often requires another lie to cover up the previous one, and we get caught in a web of deception.

The Tongue And Joseph
As a teenager Joseph used his tongue to bring a bad report about his older brothers, and they hated him. He then had two dreams that indicated he was going to reign over them. When he told his family about the dreams, his father rebuked him, saying “Shall I and your mother and your brothers indeed come to bow ourselves to the ground before you?” (Gen. 37:10).

We find no record of God instructing Joseph to tell anyone his dreams or their interpretation. Joseph apparently enjoyed teasing his brothers. Their jealousy became intense, and they said when they saw him, “Here comes this dreamer. Come now, let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits. Then we will say that a fierce animal has devoured him, and we will see what will become of his dreams” (vv.19-20). However, within a short time there arose an opportunity to make money. Traders came along, and the brothers sold Joseph to them for 20 shekels (vv.25-28).

One problem still remained: how to explain Joseph’s absence to their father. They decided to use a deception they had previously devised – taking Joseph’s robe of many colors, dipping it into the blood of a goat they slaughtered, and asking their father if this was his son’s robe. The deception worked! Jacob concluded, “A fierce animal has devoured him” (v.33). How often our tongues have used their power to perpetuate our deceptions!

The traders took Joseph to Egypt and sold him to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh. “Now Joseph was handsome in form and appearance” (39:6). Potiphar’s wife found this young man to be attractive and she attempted to seduce him. When her attempts failed, she accused Joseph of a serious crime against her. Potiphar believed his wife and had Joseph imprisoned.

Years passed before God used Joseph and the ability He gave him to interpret dreams. These included two Pharaoh had, which Joseph correctly interpreted: there would be seven years of plenty followed by seven years of famine. This interpretation led to Joseph being given the second highest position in the kingdom. He was the manager of the granaries, to preserve the people of Egypt and many nations from starvation, even Joseph’s father and brothers.

During the famine, Joseph’s brothers appeared before him to buy food. They had not seen him for years, and when they came to buy food they did not recognize him; but he recognized them. After repeat visits by the brothers, Joseph made himself known to them, and they were dismayed (45:1-3). Joseph knew he had the power to get even with his brothers, but instead of using that power he used his tongue to console them, as we should do in similar circumstances (Heb. 10:24). He said to them, “‘Do not fear … you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive … So do not fear; I will provide for you and your little ones.’ Thus he comforted them and spoke kindly to them” (Gen. 50:19-21).

Actions Can Be Lies
Joshua sent two spies into Jericho. They lodged at Rahab’s house. The king of Jericho learned about the spies and sent men to ask about them. Rahab lied, saying the men had come and gone, and where they were from she did not know (Josh. 2:4-5). However, she had given them a friendly welcome (Heb. 11:31) and had hidden them, for she had heard of how their God had delivered Israel from Egypt and overcome the Amorites. She believed that Israel’s God was “God in the heavens above and on earth beneath” (Josh. 2:11), and that when He would give Jericho into Israel’s hands, she and her family would be killed.

This story is not a justification for lying. God could have easily delivered the spies along with her family in a miraculous way. After all, He had plans for Rahab – she was going to be David’s great-grandmother (Mt. 1:5-6)!

The Sin Of Evil Speaking
This sin is the using of words to fault or criticize someone either directly or by innuendo. James 4:11 says, “Do not speak evil against one another, brothers.” Where does the evil we speak about come from? It often comes from a nit-picking attitude! If a person truly needs correction, one should feel sorrow. Instead, we tend to feel spiritually superior and have little hesitation in sharing our observation with others. Some of us have the habit of casting the thoughts and actions of others into a bad light.

Those who engage in evil speaking often need correction themselves. They need, as the apostle Paul said, to let “the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding … guard [their] hearts and [their] minds in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:7). Paul continued, “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there be any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things” (v.8). If we think about these things and speak about them, there will not be room for faultfinding.

Our Lord Jesus was not engaging in evil speaking when He spoke forth a series of “Woe unto you” statements against the scribes and Pharisees. In grace, He was warning them about what their behavior may cause (Mt. 23:13-30). Yet, He advised His people to do what they were instructed and to avoid their practices, and He gave the reason why (vv.1-10).

Lying And Deception Are Sinful Effects Of The Tongue
Christians will often lie or deceive one another when making excuses for their behavior. We are told, “Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its Creator” (Col. 3:9-10). We are to examine ourselves (1 Cor. 11:28), and if we judge aright we will call a lie a sin and confess it (1 Jn. 1:9). We should not minimize it by excusing it or calling it a different term.

Prayer Is A Good And Powerful Work Of The Tongue
James pointed out, “Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit” (Jas. 5:17-18). Similarly, when King Hezekiah “was at the point of death” (2 Ki. 20:1) he prayed fervently that he would recover. The Lord answered, saying, “I have heard your prayer; I have seen your tears. Behold, I will heal you … [and] deliver you and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria” (vv.5-6). Knowing that prayer has great power, let us not hesitate to use it!

Teaching Is A Profitable Use Of The Tongue
Our Lord Jesus taught many things to His disciples while He walked here. Before His departure, He said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me, … make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you” (Mt. 28:18-20). How good to use our tongues in this way!

Be Watchful
It is quite apparent from our own lives that Scripture is true – our little tongues bear in themselves the potential for good and evil. Let us be careful to use our tongues not only for good but also for the glory of God (1 Cor. 10:31). This is something we cannot do in our own strength, but only through full dependence upon the Holy Spirit, who indwells every believer. May our trust in God be evident in our comments and actions.

By Alan H. Crosby

Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving … Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person. —Colossians 4:2,5-6 ESV
A proper relationship with God is the basis of every other relationship. Consistent, earnest prayer is a vital matter, expressing dependence on the living God, and drawing down His help and blessing in practical circumstances. Being vigilant in prayer is attentiveness and exercise in contrast to the ease with which our prayers become simply a pleasant habit, good as that habit is. Make use of every opportunity to present Christ in some way. In doing so, our words should be with grace “seasoned with salt” (v.6). Salt crystallizes at right angles, and speaks of righteousness. Grace is to be predominant in our speaking, but always seasoned with righteousness. True balance in this is a delicate matter that requires wisdom from God.
—Leslie M. Grant, “Comments On Colossians” (adapted)