Tongue, Bit and Rudder - 02/25/2024

What does a person’s tongue, a horse’s bit and a ship’s rudder have in common? Though small in size, they exert a great deal of control. James makes the point that we control horses using a bit and we steer a ship using a rudder, but we have a hard time controlling our tongue (James 3:2-5).

The idea that a person, who is smaller than a horse in both body size and strength, can control a large animal with simply a small instrument in the horse’s mouth should amaze us. The point James is making with this illustration is that we can control a horse but we cannot control our tongue?

James also uses the example of a ship being controlled by the use of some small piece of material attached to the watercraft by hinges. The point James wants his readers to focus on is that we can control that small organ which is in our mouth attached by a small piece of tissue.

As we can conclude from the context, James is not specifically talking about the muscular organ in our mouth, but rather our speech; the words we say. By using these examples, James is illustrating that we can and must “control [our] tongue.” In some later verses James will talk about how the tongue can be used, but the point of these verses is the control we must exercise over how we verbally communicate with others.

James makes a spiritual connection. He begins verse 2 by saying, “we all stumble in many ways.” He ends this same verse by saying that the man who can control his tongue “is a perfect man.” But he also says that a person who can control his tongue is “able to bridle the whole body as well.” Very interesting!

Why would James say if we can control the tongue, then we can “hold in check” or “restrain” or “guide” the whole body? This seems to indicate how hard it is to restrain or hold in check the words that come out of our mouth. While we all recognize that we must “think before we speak,” it is not always practiced to the degree necessary. Often our emotions overtake our self-control. We are reacting rather than being purposeful with our speech.

James says if we can control our tongue then we are “a perfect man.” He is not saying we are flawless, but rather we are mature in our faith. James is saying it is possible. He is saying just like Christians can control horses with a bit and boats with a rudder, Christians must control their tongue if they are going to be living God’s way. - cgm

Scriptural quotations from the NASB1995.