Who Sits on the Throne of Your Words?

This week, I had the privilege of speaking at Engage Your Destiny, an auxiliary ministry we support as a chaplain family. Engage Your Destiny is a nonprofit that provides faith-based spiritual readiness training and community support to active-duty military members, veterans, and their families. I spoke on faithfulness and who sits on the throne of your life.

As I prepared this message, I was reminded that our allegiance to Christ is not simply expressed in what we believe, but in how we live, including the words we speak.

In the message, I referenced James, the half-brother of Jesus, and his letter to the Jews who were dispersed due to persecution. James’ goal was to help the newly formed young believers grow into mature believers in Christ. James, in his opening greeting, calls himself a bondservant to Christ, meaning he is under Christ's supreme authority and leadership in his life. In relation, James was a brother, yet he never greeted that way; instead, he introduced himself as a servant of Christ.

James understood that belonging to Christ meant living under His authority. And in chapter 3, he brings that authority into one of the most difficult areas of our lives to surrender: our words. James exemplifies the damage the tongue and words can cause when used in the wrong way.

He compares the tongue to the bit in a horse’s mouth and a rudder that steers a ship.  

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. Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell (James 3:3-5).

It is amazing how a small part of our bodies can have such a great impact. Oftentimes, we can deliver words all too quickly, without considering their impact on another person. James says this small part of the body is like a spark that can start a forest fire. Although words seem small and insignificant, they can stick to us and those around us for a lifetime. I think many of us understand this more deeply than we realize. A few words spoken in a moment can stay with us for years, shaping how we see ourselves and even what we believe to be true about our identity.

I can still recall so many hurtful or unkind things people said to me throughout my life, especially during adolescence. Words can leave a lasting impression. When we repeatedly hear hurtful messages, we can begin to believe them and allow them to shape how we see ourselves. What someone spoke over us in a moment can become a lie we carry for years.

This is why understanding the impact of our words matters. They can influence how others see themselves, their relationships, and even their understanding of who God created them to be.

We must also consider the words that come out of our own mouths. Jesus reminds us that our words reveal what is happening within our hearts.

Luke 6:45 says, “A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.”

Our self-talk matters, and what we say to others also matters. Both shape our belief system and can impact how others view themselves. So how do we put good in and bring good out?

We begin by letting the Bible fill and renew our minds. His Word is true and active. It reveals His character and who He has called us to be. Through time spent in the Bible and by the conviction of the Holy Spirit, He reveals our attitudes, words, and thoughts in our lives that do not reflect His.

Because of our fallen nature, our tongue will never be fully tamed. James lets us know this, but this doesn’t mean we give up trying altogether or even give in to our natural bent toward missing God’s best.

 With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water (James 3:9-12, NIV).

When we attend church on Sunday or read our Bible in our favorite devotional chair, and then, in the next breath, we gossip or complain, we demonstrate how quickly our tongue can be used for both good and harm. How can the same mouth offer praise one minute and then tear someone down, made in God’s image, the next?

As Christians, we are called to bring our tongue under the Lordship of Christ. This is an area of our lives that deserves submission and attention. Whether it is spoken words, written text, or a response or comment to an online audience. We are accountable for what we speak or say. Not only that, but if you are a teacher of God’s word, you are held to an even higher standard of judgment. Therefore, God cares about our tongue. He cares about our comments. He cares about how we discuss friends, co-workers, and even our enemies.

I believe our words matter because we are made in God’s likeness. To curse another person, or to speak ill of or speak down to someone, is to show contempt for someone created in the image of God. Let our words bring life to those around us.

As Christians, we must remember that our words reveal our heart condition. We can either build someone up or tear them down with our words.

Who sits on the throne of your life? Are you willing to submit your words, your thoughts, and your heart to Christ?