9. By this we bless YAHWEH, even the Father; and by this we curse men having come into being according to the image of Elohim.
10. Out of the same mouth comes forth blessing and cursing. My brothers, it is not fitting for these things to be so.
11. Does the fountain out of the same hole send forth the sweet and the bitter?
12. My brothers, a fig tree is not able to produce olives, or a vine, figs. So neither can a fountain produce both salt and sweet water.
In this and all Food for Thoughts I recommend you read the Scripture(s) provided and the entire chapter they are from to obtain more insight.
Throughout this “Wait a minute, What did you just say?” series, we have delved deeply into the immense power of the untamable death-dealing tongue. We have come to understand that while our words can be a source of comfort and truth, they can also be dangerously destructive. Therefore, we must acknowledge the great responsibility that comes with the words that proceed out of our mouths and take them seriously.
As we conclude this series, today’s Food For Thought serves to emphasize the importance of surrendering to the Most High, YAHWEH, to gain mastery over this small yet mighty beast. By seeking guidance and wisdom from the Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit), He can work on our heart, the source of our words, so that we can use our words to uplift and inspire rather than harm, divide, and destroy.
Out of the Same Mouth
James 3:11-12 presents a thought-provoking question and answer. “Does the fountain out of the same hole send forth the sweet and the bitter?” He answers, “My brothers, a fig tree is not able to produce olives, or a vine, figs. So neither can a fountain produce both salt and sweet water.” Our tongue can be pleasant, cordial, and friendly, yet deceitful, twisted, and misleading due to its regrettable ability to speak both blessings and curses. We can speak blessings and speak of our faith and somehow end up cursing, gossiping, lying, and slandering all within the same conversation. Ya’aqov’s points out this very fact in James 3:9 and should serve as a reminder that contradictory words, whether they are blessings or curses, originate from the same source. However, James 3:10 makes it clear that this should not be the case. It is impossible for the same source to produce both sweet and bitter or blessings and curses.
Let not any evil word go out from your mouth, but words that are good and useful for edification that it may impart a blessing to those who hear them.
In this and all Food for Thoughts I recommend you read the Scripture(s) provided and the entire chapter they are from to obtain more insight.
Check the Source
We must check the source by which the fountain water flows, in this case, the heart from which our words flow (Matthew 12:34). If you are constantly guilty of tearing down or being harmful with your words, your source is contaminated. If that same tongue blesses, it’s a contradiction, and the source is still contaminated. The root of this problem lies within our hearts, and only by purifying our hearts can we prevent our tongue from causing harm. Hence, we must take responsibility for our tongue by surrendering the source, our heart, to YAHWEH and stop the damaging impact it’s causing.
How do we Surrender our Tongues Source?
If a well becomes contaminated by harmful chemicals, disease-causing agents, or even the remains of a deceased animal. It is imperative to take prompt and decisive action to ensure the well is thoroughly cleaned and restored to its original state. The first step involves identifying and eliminating the source of the contamination, followed by removing all contaminated water from the well. Once this has been done, it is important to exercise patience as the well slowly replenishes itself naturally, eventually filling up to its normal water level. By following these steps, the water from the well will be safe and free from any harmful contaminants, ensuring the health and well-being of those who utilize it.
Our hearts can be cleaned just like the contaminated well.
1. Surrender your life to YAHWEH. Invite YAHWEH in your heart and become born anew. Without this first step, it will be impossible to produce fruit that are acceptable to Him. Just like the fig tree can not produce olives, you will not be able to produce good fruit. Changing your name, appearance, joining groups, moving to a different community, or even getting a different job won’t change who you are if you haven’t been born again.
One writer put it this way in reference to changing the external vs. the internal:
- You can label a fig tree “Olive Tree,” and that will not make it an olive tree.
- You can trim a fig tree to look like an olive tree, and that will not make it an olive tree.
- You can treat a fig tree like an olive tree, and that will not make it an olive tree.
- You can surround a fig tree with many olive trees, and that will not make it an olive tree.
- You can transplant that fig tree to the Mount of Olives, and that will not make it an olive tree.
2. Surrender your heart and mind to YAHWEH daily by reading His Holy Scriptures.
3. Surrender and humble yourself daily in prayer.
4. Surrender your right to complain, murmur, and whine.
5. Surrender your pride and practice speaking words that encourage, inspire, comfort, enlighten, and motivate.
Conclusion
Our death-dealing tongue is deceitful, but it can only deal its cards straight from the source, the heart. Therefore, we must deal with the source and clean it up.
By: David Edwards