James 3:3-4 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.
A few weeks ago, this verse came to me in a dream. Clearly, I can relate when the prophets of old used to say ‘and the word of the Lord came to me …’
Isn’t it amazing, that tiny things have the ability to manipulate big things. Bits make horses obey and turn to the rider’s choice. Ships! Ships turn by a very small fragment.
I once heard a preacher say, ships don’t turn as swiftly as cars. Prolly because they are ginormous inventions.
This chapter of James emphasized the control of the tongue. For it bears the power of life and death. Many of us forget we are ships. We yearn for a good life. Psalms declares that if we want a good life we must desist speaking guile and stay our lips from speaking perverseness.
But what have we done?
We’ve done exactly that! Recklessly spoken how life is hard. How deep the economy has drowned. How we’ll never see our dreams… The rudders are listening — obeying the command and direction in which we speak. The preacher said, like ships, our lives turn slowly, to the direction of our speech.
We end up staying stagnant when we speak positively today and negatively tomorrow. It’s like indicating right while driving, but suddenly without warning, our tyres switch left. We end up causing accidents to those behind us in fact!
Just when our ships have begun turning, they turn back.
We need to control our tongues. We need to maintain the confession of our faith! If we are to declare that we were healed by His stripes, we must stick to that however rough the waters may get. Eventually, the ship will turn to the direction of health.
If we are to declare that He became poor that we might be rich, we must stick to that, until the ship sails that direction.
No wonder James in chapter one said a double-minded is unstable. If anyone prays while wavering, it’s like not deciding. You want it but —
You want to go left, but right at the same time. The steering wheel won’t help — until you decide. The other image I’ve received now is driving round a round about forever, because of indecision of vision of what one wants or the constant affirmation and cancellation of a thing being spoken.
In Genesis, even God said that the men would have built a Ziggurat that reached heaven because they were one; of one language, but also; of one mind. God said, ‘Nothing they’ve imagined will be restrained from them.’ Your mind, body and soul must be in agreement before you create by tongue.
You’d not be married yet, because you both feel you’re ready for it — and yet not! What you’ve imagined will be restrained from you! If you feel you’re ready, and it hasn’t happened yet, remember, the ship is turning. The rudder is turning. Keep the oneness of your mind and speech! It’ll be here soon.
Some of us are so bad at this that we are seated in cars without steering wheels! We misused the power in our tongues such that the rudder was destroyed and the steering wheel was yanked off the dashboard! Either we are in someone else’s car — or ship now; running only by another’s vision or mercy. But we need to return our cars to the garage, and the ships to the harbor, and fix our rudders and steers!
Remember, we undermine what we say thinking it’s something small. But that small thing causes horses to turn. That bit enslaves a horse,juts like the tongue enslaves us unbeknownst to us.
See how large a ship is! And yet, that tiny rudder. . .
James said the tongue is a little member, and yet a small fire as well can set a whole forest on fire. He compared it to a fire! Your world is on fire now, and you think it was utterly due to your getting fired or not scoring A’s in school. Nuh! Not completely!
I think if you check your rudder and steer, you’ll be in the know!
It’s a little member, and yet whole horses turn by it! It’s a little member, and yet ships can also jibe by it! It’s a little member, and yet look at where it’s led you!
•
Proverbs 15:4 A wholesome tongue is a tree of life, but willful contrariness in it breaks down the spirit. (KJV + AMP)
Biggie's Big Blogs 