“Sticks and Stones” - James 3:3-12
Pastor Burt Garwood – May 24, 2015
The power of a wild and untamed horse is absolutely breathtaking. Almost as breathtaking is
watching a horse be tamed by a highly skilled trainer. And to watch that horse slowly learn to
trust the trainer. And to submit all his incredible strength and power to the trainer. And for this
powerful animal to allow a bit to be placed in his mouth. It’s that one tiny bit in the horse’s
mouth that turns and guides the entire horse. Pretty amazing!
James 3:3-4 “When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the
whole animal. Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong
winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go.”
 Turning a large ship takes time. It can take up to two miles for a large oil tanker to
completely turn around. But the rudder accomplishes its purpose and turns the ship
around.
 A bit in a horse’s mouth can make a horse turn on a dime. My dad’s side of the family all
grew up as ranchers. I loved watching a good cutting horse move so quickly side to side.
 James compares a horse’s bit and a ship’s rudder to our tongue: “Likewise, the tongue is a
small part of the body, but it makes great boasts…” (James 3:5)
 The positive comparison stops there. James leaves the reader hoping that we can tame the
tongue. Just like a bit in a horse’s mouth. READ: James 3:5-8
“Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.”
 We say this to our small children in order to help them get through the tough years of
elementary and junior high where kids say hurtful things sometimes without thinking to
each other. So we try to protect them by teaching our kids to buy into the idea that words
will never hurt them.
 But the truth is that words do hurt. And we adults remember words spoken to us in our
childhood by other kids, a best friend, a teacher, a coach or our parents. Those words have
shaped us positively or they’ve torn us down. Words definitely leave their mark.
 Did you know that your tongue is the fastest healing part of your body? Unfortunately the
damage your tongue causes through hurtful words is slow to heal and can take a lifetime to
overcome.
Have you ever tried to stuff toothpaste back into a tube?
 Words are like toothpaste. Once they come out, they can’t be stuffed back in. That’s why
we have to choose our words carefully.
 The problem with the tongue is that once you say something, you can’t take it back. That
hurtful word is out there. And it’s already made its mark on the person you’ve targeted.
How do you tame the tongue? To tame your tongue you have to let Jesus change your heart.
This brings us back to the horse:
 This powerful, majestic creature does some things in order for the bit in his mouth to work.
 He learns to trust the trainer. He submits his mouth to the trainer. He opens his mouth to
accept the bit. And then he obeys the prompts of the bit to turn left or right.
 A horse has to be broken before it can accept the bit. A properly broken horse is not one
that has been beaten into submission. But rather has developed a trusting relationship with
a gentle trainer who has quietly and gently and patiently wooed him and worked with him
over time.
It’s no different with you. It’s easier to surrender your will and trust our loving Savior who gave
his own life up to save ours. Jesus doesn’t force you to surrender. He invites you to surrender.
 Matthew 11:28-30 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you
rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart,
and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Back to the tube of toothpaste.
 You bought the tube of toothpaste because you wanted toothpaste to come out of it. This
brings us to a truth: Your tongue is directly connected to what’s in your heart.
 I know it’s physically connected to your jaw and throat. But spiritually speaking, cognitively
speaking and emotionally speaking, your tongue is directly connected to what’s in your
heart.
 Jesus said: “Out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.” (Matthew 12:34)
 READ James 3:9-12
 The tube of toothpaste is supposed to push out toothpaste, not salsa. That’s why there is
really no such thing as speaking without thinking. That’s why hurtful words are so hurtful.
Because you’ve thought about them before you ever said them. But even more than that,
those words are the overflow of your heart.
Even deeper than that…
 You have been created in God’s image to bear his image to the world around you. Your
tongue should speak your identity in Christ to others.
 What we say is an identity issue. It points to who we are on the inside.
So how do you get your tongue to speak your identity? Think about the things that God thinks
about.
 Philippians 4:8 “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever
is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is
excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”
 When you think about good things…then good words come out of your mouth.
 But it all begins with surrender and trust in your master…your Lord and Savior Jesus Christ
and being in his Word the Bible so that his words become your words.