James 3:1-12 “My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment. For we all stumble in many things. If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body. Indeed, we put bits in horses’ mouths that they may obey us, and we turn their whole body. Look also at ships: although they are so large and are driven by fierce winds, they are turned by a very small rudder wherever the pilot desires. Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things. See how great a forest a little fire kindles! And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell. For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind. But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so. Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening? Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh.”
I suppose that by writing this encouragement, I am a teacher. This passage in James states that individuals like me will receive a stricter judgement. I suppose the reason for the stricter judgement is that I have no excuse. I know what is right and wrong and what God wants; I cannot plead ignorance. I believe this would apply to anyone who teaches spiritual truths. Since we know what is right and wrong and we teach others, we will receive a stricter judgement.
Then the writing goes on to say “For we all stumble in many things.” Some Biblical translations state “in many things we offend”. It reminds us that no one is above error—not even the most devout or disciplined. This isn’t just about moral failings; it includes lapses in judgment, unkind words, or moments of weakness. James isn’t shaming us—he’s inviting us to humility. Recognizing our flaws is the first step toward transformation. I know that I stumble in many things. I am far from perfect. How about you? I want to be more Christ-like. Over time, I see progress. But for me to pretend that I have it totally all correct would not be right. 1 John 1:8-9 “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” God wants us to be humble and confess our sins and our stumbles. When we do so, He has promised to forgive us and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Praise God for His wonderful mercy!
Since we all stumble in many things, we could take the attitude that we don’t need to put much effort into doing the right things. So what if we stumble? God is going to forgive us anyway. But that is not the right attitude. If we truly love God, we are going to seek to please Him in everything. Jesus said in John 14:15 “If you love Me, keep My commandments.” The greatest commandment is to love God (Matthew 12:30). Love requires us to do what pleases Him. That requires effort on our part and the need to choose the right path and seek to avoid stumbling.
To expand on the fact that we all stumble in many things, James addresses the things that we say. “If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body.” A perfect man is not flawless but is fully grown or mature. Spiritual maturity is when we have left behind unwise choices and spiritual immaturity and have grown to make wise choices and follow the leading of the Holy Spirit. A person who has learned to speak with grace, truth, and restraint is someone who has grown deeply in character. Spiritual maturity should be a goal for each one of us.
Perhaps the area where we can stumble often is with the things that we say. Maybe we say unkind things. Maybe we say judgmental things. Maybe we say things that are not completely true. Maybe we are proud and boastful in the things we say. It is true that what we say reveals the condition of our heart. Luke 6:45 “A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.” What we say comes from our heart. If we stumble in what we say, it could indicate that changes are needed in our hearts.
The rest of the passage in James addresses the tongue. He says that we control horses with bits in their mouths and we control ships with a small rudder. In a similar manner, our tongues seem to control our nature. With our tongues we can boast and show our pride. With our tongues we can ignite fires of conflict and harm those around us. All kinds of creatures have been tamed by mankind. But it seems that no one can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. With our tongues we bless God but we also curse men. We should not have both blessing and cursing coming from the same mouth. It is inconsistent. A spring doesn’t yield both fresh water and salt water. A fig tree does not bear olives nor does a grapevine produce figs. In a similar way, our tongues should not yield both good and bad. We should seek spiritual maturity where our tongues only yield good, edifying words. Romans 14:19 “Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another.”
James also gives some guidance that should help us control our tongues. James 1:19 “So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath.” We should be swift to hear what others say. But we should be slow to speak and slow to wrath; in other words, we should be slow to react. By being slow to speak and slow to wrath, we may have time to think about what we say and how we respond. Maybe we have time to pray for God’s wisdom and let the Holy Spirit lead us in what we say.
We all stumble in many things. We often stumble by what we say to others. Seek spiritual maturity and learn to control your tongue. Let only good come from your mouth.