TOPIC: BIBLICAL ILLUSTRATIONS FOR CONTROL OF THE MOUTH
James 3:3-4
1. The Horse (Jam. 3:3): The horse is a picture of wildness, power, and majesty. The horse is a weapon of war; it can kill a man with a kick. The greater a man is, the stronger the horses he purchases. The best horses are strong, powerful, and ridden by kings. Despite its power and strength, the horse is brought under control by putting something in its mouth and forcing it to obey. Its whole body is controlled by bits, and you can move it in your desired direction.
2. The Ship (Jam. 3:4): The ship depicts a picture of greatness and powerful force. Some people are very young and bright with great futures, but some forces are raging against them. I have seen many young men with great talents who did not make it in life. If you check it, you will find out that males in his lineage were failures too.
Marriage is a ship on the sea of life. Friendship is a ship. If you marry a man or a woman, you inherit both the assets and liabilities as well as the forces ruling in his/her life. That you marry a born-again, tongue-talking man who comes from a lineage where every male is a polygamist does not mean he won’t go in that direction.
You better be strong enough to know how to master those forces because different forces are ruling the lives of people.
The Bible says, “turned about with a very small helm withal so ever the governor listeth…” The word “listeth” means desires. The ship will go where the governor of the ship (the captain) desires it to go. Even modern, nuclear-powered ships still have the helm. The wheel is so small compared to the size of a ship, but it controls the direction of the ship as large as it is.
Everything mobile has something to control its direction. What controls the direction is infinitesimally small compared to the size of the thing itself. That is the lesson in our text today.
PRAYER: Dear Lord, grant me the wisdom and sensitivity to control my mouth in Jesus’ name. Amen!
BIBLE IN A YEAR: 2 Chronicles 4:1-6:11; Romans 7:1-13; Psalm 17:1-15; Proverbs 19:22-2
