James 3:3 When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal.
This is a simple illustration of James’ point in verse 2, that we must control what comes out of our mouths. This is especially true for those who are “teachers” (verse 1). When we hear the word “teacher,” our first idea may be our first grade elementary teacher or our dear Sunday school teacher. I suggest we need to expand this whole idea to anyone who has influence upon others through his or her words. This surely begins in the home where parents are the primary teachers of their children, or older siblings teach younger ones. Teaching is one of the most basic aspects of church life. Many people in a church have teaching responsibilities, not just those in official positions. Many people also teach in their work places. In fact, if we want to get down to the basic principle behind James’ ideas in this chapter, we must consider that anything we say with our mouths can and is a form of teaching. That is why he broadens his application with the illustrations in verses 3-6 and the rest of this section. Teaching is the primary affect of our tongues, but any communication can have the effect of building people up or tearing them down. The bit in a horse’s mouth is the way to direct the animal. Not much has changed in the last 2000 years about this. Some horses can be trained to follow other types of commands, but the bit still remains the common method. The bit is relatively small compared to the overall size of a horse. It is also located in the mouth, which is an interesting connection with James’ point. What comes out of our mouths guides and determines so much else about how we live and what impact we will have on the people around us. It must be carefully controlled lest it lead us off the path of righteousness. The well known words of Psalm 19:14 are worth reflecting upon this morning: “May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart
be pleasing in your sight,
Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.”
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