James: Biblical Commentary by Joyce Meyer

Author:Joyce Meyer [MEYER, JOYCE]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: FaithWords
Published: 2019-03-05T00:00:00+00:00

The Power of the Tongue

James 3:2

For we all stumble and sin in many ways. If anyone does not stumble in what he says [never saying the wrong thing], he is a perfect man [fully developed in character, without serious flaws], able to bridle his whole body and rein in his entire nature [taming his human faults and weaknesses].

The only perfect person who ever lived is Jesus. Throughout the gospels and in prophetic teachings about Him, we see that He used great wisdom and restraint with His words. In John 14:30, Jesus was talking to His disciples and said, “I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming, and he has nothing in Me” (NKJV). I believe that, since Jesus was about to begin His time of great suffering, He knew it would be wise to say less, because when we are under pressure, we tend to say things that are not helpful to us or to those around us. This shows us that He knew when to stop talking, and that is a wise lesson for us to learn, too.

Often, when we are offended or feel we are being treated wrongly, we speak up for or defend ourselves. Isaiah wrote prophetically that Jesus resisted this temptation: “He was oppressed and treated harshly, yet he never said a word. He was led like a lamb to the slaughter. And as a sheep is silent before the shearers, he did not open his mouth” (Isaiah 53:7 NLT).

In addition, Jesus never answered people who hurled accusations against Him or made any effort to defend Himself to them. That would be extremely difficult for most of us, but He did it. Luke 23:9–10 says that the high priest “asked Jesus question after question, but Jesus refused to answer. Meanwhile, the leading priests and the teachers of religious law stood there shouting their accusations” (NLT). And Mark 14:60–61 says, “Then the high priest stood up before them and asked Jesus, ‘Are you not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?’ But Jesus remained silent and gave no answer” (NIV).

I want to remind you of James 1:19, which says, “Understand this, my beloved brothers and sisters. Let everyone be quick to hear [be a careful, thoughtful listener], slow to speak [a speaker of carefully chosen words and], slow to anger [patient, reflective, forgiving].” Jesus certainly was this way, and we would all be wise to follow His example and James’s advice.

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