You don’t have to be a “snowflake” to recognize that words can do a lot of harm. After all, James says that our tongues can cause as much damage as a forest fire (3:5). He says they are full of deadly poison (3:8). He says they are a “world of unrighteousness” (3:6). You can’t get much worse than that.

And James isn’t just talking about the lying politicians and biased journalists we love to hate. No, he’s primarily urging us Christians to be more careful with our words. After all, our mouths are filled on Sunday with God’s praises, giving Him thanks for all He has done for us. So, if we go on to use those same mouths to curse other people during the rest of the week, we are guilty of the worst sort of hypocrisy. But we’re also guilty of attacking God Himself – for aren’t all people, even our enemies, made in His image (3:9-10)?

Moreover, abusive speech isn’t the only problem we can have with language. James warns us against boasting and lying (3:14), pointing to the reason we indulge in such behavior: our jealousy of others, and our ambition to make ourselves appear to be somehow better than they are (3:14). But if we try to build ourselves up by tearing other people down, we are not living in a spiritual way. Instead, we are following the example of demons (3:15).

So, no, we shouldn’t be surprised that when a society’s mass media is filled with lies and hate, the inevitable result is “disorder and every vile practice” (3:16). But the same thing is all too often true of our individual lives, isn’t it? How many of us wish we could take back the words that have wrecked our friendships or splintered our congregations? How many of us wish we had been more faithful to the vows and promises that we have made?

So, instead of pointing fingers at those politicians and pundits across the aisle, and instead of condemning those who have lied to us in the past, maybe we should all seek the wisdom that comes from above, a wisdom that is pure and peaceable and gentle and reasonable and merciful and impartial and sincere (3:17). Maybe if we fill our minds in this way with Christ and His Word and His will, then we won’t have so much of a problem with what comes out of our mouths. Maybe then our words will be a force for good, as we use them to sow peace so that we and those around us can reap a harvest of righteous, godly living (3:18).

James 3:1-18 (ESV)

Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.
2 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.
3 If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well.
4 Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs.
5 So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire!
6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell.
7 For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind,
8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.
9 With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God.
10 From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so.
11 Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water?
12 Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water.
13 Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom.
14 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth.
15 This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.
16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice.
17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.
18 And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.