James 3:5-10 ⁵ So also the tongue is a small part of the body, and yet it boasts of great things. Behold, how great a forest is set aflame by such a small fire! ⁶ And the tongue is a fire, the very world of iniquity; the tongue is set among our members as that which defiles the entire body, and sets on fire the course of our life, and is set on fire by hell. ⁷ For every species of beasts and birds, of reptiles and creatures of the sea, is tamed, and has been tamed by the human race. ⁸ But no one can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil and full of deadly poison. ⁹ With it we bless our Lord and Father; and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God; ¹⁰ from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be this way.

How many of us have been done in by our words?  Have you ever made a difficult situation worse by saying the wrong thing?  Worse yet, have you ever bad a good situation bad by saying the wrong thing?  I won't ask for an "amen" because Europe would hear it!  The fact is that all of us, to varying degrees, have sinned with our mouth.  James begins this passage by contrasting the size of the tongue to rest of the body.  The tongue is small.  It is smaller than most of our eternal organs.  It is smaller than a foot, a hand or the head.  Most of the time it is not seen.  But without the tongue it is impossible to speak.  It is an indespensible organ.  James introduces the destructive power of the tongue by compaying it to a flame that starts a forest fire.  I think of the Smokey Bear line that says, "Forests don't start forest fires.  Humans do."  The origin of this fire comes from hell itself.  That is how evil the tongue can be. 

James introduces a pathetic irony.  Man has tamed the animal kingdom, but he cannot tame the human tongue.  James describes the tongue as a "restless evil."  That is fitting with the reference to hell in verse 6.  Peter described Satan as, "...a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour." 1 Peter 5:8.  Satan is "seeking."  He is actively looking for someone to destroy.  Our tongue, which is set on fire by hell, is "restless."  It is also seeking.  It is seeking to wreck more havoc.  James goes on to describe the hypocrisy of the tongue.  We use it for blessing and cursing.  If a house divided against itself cannot stand (Matthew 12:25), how shall we stand by praciticing evil and righteousness?  The truth is what we can't stand on our own.  The truth is that our tongue is beyond our ability to control.  But thanks be to God that He is able to control it!  Paul writes: 

Ephesians 6:10-13  Finally, be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of His might. ¹¹ Put on the full armor of God, that you may be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. ¹² For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. ¹³ Therefore, take up the full armor of God, that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.

The truth is that there is nothing that we can do, even as Chrisitians, to tame the tongue.  It is the Lord who is able to bring this destructive member of our body under control.  We must recognize our need to be clothed with the "full armor of God."  It is our protection from the evil one, and since our tongue is capable of evil we must be all the more diligent to wear this armor. 

Brothers and sisters, don't try to fight alone.  Know that God is the one who fights.  He has called us to obedience to Christ.  Know His word and live His word by the power that He provides.  "Take up the full armor of God, that you may be able to resist in the evil day..."