The Lips Need to Bear Spiritual Fruit

James 3:9–18
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James issued a warning: a fountain cannot give forth two kinds of water, and a tree cannot bear two kinds of fruit. From this, two pictures of controlled speech are given: a fountain & a tree (vv. 9-12). The fountain provides the water man needs to stay alive. Water is life-giving, and our words can give life. However, if water is not controlled, it brings forth death and destruction. A water fountain cannot give both pure water and polluted water at the same time. However, one of life’s hardest duties is to see that the tongue doesn’t contradict itself but speaks only the words we would wish God to hear. Psalm 66:18 says, “If I have sin in my heart the Lord will not hear me.” “Can a fig tree bear olives or a grapevine bear figs” (v. 12)? The point is that a believer’s tongue should not be an instrument of inconsistency. The tongue is small but influential and must be controlled. It is easy to sing the hymns during the church service, get into the family car and argue and fight all the way home. The problem, of course, is not the tongue; it is the heart (Matt. 15:18).

“Who is a wise man and equipped with knowledge among you” (v. 13)? The wise will show their wisdom through their daily trusting that God is in control of their life. Godly wisdom produces meekness, which is power under God’s control. In this passage we have the original “show and tell.” The truly wise person is humble, and his wisdom is shown by applying truth to the life. It is not measured by college degrees or of acquiring knowledge from books or lectures. Do not pretend to be something you are not (v. 14). True wisdom has no room for bitterness, envy, or selfish ambitions. The envious and selfish person produces disorder, confusion, and every evil work because they’re getting their wisdom from the earthly, the sensual and the devil (v.15). That is a contrast to the wise person who does not seek glory or gain but is gracious and giving and gets their wisdom from almighty God. Where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice (vv. 16-18). But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason.

Application

It is easy to see from this passage why we are having turmoil in the world today.  Instead of getting our direction from God and His word we’ve chosen as a nation to take God and His word out of our homes, out of our schools and out of our lives and have chosen to make our own man-made standards. We have not passed our values on to our next generation.