The Wellspring of Life

A Series on the book of James
Taming the tongue
(Click on the link below to read the verses.)
James 3:1-12 

[James is one of my favorite books of the Bible. In some ways, it’s similar to Old Testament wisdom literature like Proverbs. It includes many practical applications to help a believer grow in their faith. In this series, we will look at the wisdom of James’ letter and how it applies to our lives.]

  

Super Bowl LX is coming up in eight days and the hype for the commercials has already started. Not the least of these is a Budweiser ad featuring a galloping Clydesdale, a soaring bald eagle, and the music of Lynyrd Skynyrd.

 

Clydesdale horses are so majestic. My wife loves them. In 2018, we went to the Ohio State Fair, where they had a barn full of them. She was thrilled to see them up close and personal. And when you do, it’s impossible to imagine that a small metal bit can control a massive 2000-pound horse that is bred for heavy work.

 

James wrote his letter to Jewish Christians who had been scattered throughout the world. As a result, they were immersed in adverse conditions. In the previous chapter, he wrote about the importance of their deeds matching their faith. Now in this passage, he focused on their speech matching their faith.

 

To do this, James used a horse’s bit as a metaphor for the tongue. Just like a bit can control a horse, so the tongue can control a person. But there’s a problem. The tongue causes tremendous destruction both to the person and to others.

 

^5b But a tiny spark can set a great forest on fire. ⁶ And among all the parts of the body, the tongue is a flame of fire. It is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself.                                               NLT

 

The word used here for hell comes from the Hebrew word Gehenna and refers to the Hinnom Valley south of Jerusalem. This valley had been a burial ground used for burning the corpses of criminals and animals, as well as any kind of trash. But even more gruesome than that is the fact that it was also a place used for child sacrifices to the god of Molech.

 

So, to say that your tongue “is set on fire by hell itself” would bring a terrifying image to the mind of the people James wrote. But he wasn’t finished.

 

⁷ People can tame all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and fish, ⁸ but no one can tame the tongue. It is restless and evil, full of deadly poison.              NLT

James’s prognosis of the tongue is terminal. There’s no twelve-step program. We can’t fix it by sheer willpower. The problem with our tongue is that it’s an overflow of something deeper. According to Jesus, it’s an issue of the heart.

 

¹⁸ But the things that come out of a person’s mouth come from the heart, and these defile them.  NIV    Matthew 15

 

Therefore, to change your tongue, you need to change your heart. Only a renewed heart can produce pure speech. Here’s what the author of Proverbs advised his own children about this.

 

²³ Above all else, guard your heart,
for it is the wellspring of life.       NIV    Proverbs 4

 

To protect your heart means to guard your thoughts, emotions, and will. Because, like a small bit, it's the source that determines the course of your life.

 

Copyright 2026 Joseph B Williams

Feel free to share this blog with others.

www.lifelinebasketball.blogspot.com

 

If you’re interested, below is a link for the commercial with the Clydesdale.

 Clydesdale Super Bowl commercial

 

A Line in the Sand

A Series on the book of James
Faith and Deeds
(Click on the link below to read the verses.)
James 2:14-26 

[James is one of my favorite books of the Bible. In some ways, it’s similar to Old Testament wisdom literature like Proverbs. It includes many practical applications to help a believer grow in their faith. In this series, we will look at the wisdom of James’ letter and how it applies to our lives.]

  

When you move to a new state where you know very few people, you want to fit in and be accepted. That was the case 40 years ago when we moved from Lansing, Michigan, where Michigan State is located, to Columbus, Ohio, where Ohio State is located. You can probably guess where this is going.

 

Early on, we decided to draw a line in the sand as far as trying to fit in and be accepted. That line meant staying loyal to Michigan State in the rabid environment of Ohio State. Even after 40 years, we still bleed green and white.

 

No doubt, the Jewish Christians to whom James wrote his letter, experienced this same desire to be accepted by their new neighbors. They’d already been scattered throughout the Mediterranean world due to persecution for their faith. But now they would experience a new type of adversity.

 

During the first century, the primary religion in the Roman Empire governed virtually every aspect of life. In fact, according to Ray Vander Laan, a noted expert on the history and culture of Israel, the state religion was so invasive that economic and social pressures could be quite severe.

 

It was to the degree that if you didn’t comply with the religious rituals, you could lose your income, become a social outcast, or be denied your voice in the community. You could even lose something as basic as access to fire, which was controlled by the religious and civil leaders.

 

The combination of these circumstances brought tremendous pressure on the Jewish Christians. With it, came a very real temptation to intellectually say that you believed in Jesus, but practically speaking, follow the local religious practices. However, James would have none of this.

 

¹⁹ You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror. ²⁰ How foolish! Can’t you see that faith without good deeds is useless?     NLT

 

On the first day of kindergarten in Columbus, our daughter came home and announced that she had learned the Ohio State fight song. Not in our house! We drew a line in the sand.

 

James also drew a line in the sand.

 

¹⁸ Now someone may argue, “Some people have faith; others have good deeds.” But I say, “How can you show me your faith if you don’t have good deeds? I will show you my faith by my good deeds.” NLT

 

We need to draw a line in the sand of life. Whether it’s for our faith to match our deeds; or our belief to match our behavior; or what we say to match what we do. Faith without action is useless. Faith and action work together. Our faith is made complete by our actions.

 

Copyright 2026 Joseph B Williams

Feel free to share this blog with others.

www.lifelinebasketball.blogspot.com

 

 

Grading on a Curve

A Series on the book of James
Favoritism forbidden
(Click on the link below to read the verses.)
James 2:1-13 

[James is one of my favorite books of the Bible. In some ways, it’s similar to Old Testament wisdom literature like Proverbs. It includes many practical applications to help a believer grow in their faith. In this series, we will look at the wisdom of James’ letter and how it applies to our lives.]

  

When I was in school, I was a decent student. I paid attention in class, did my homework and studied for exams. But if a teacher graded on a curve, it was common knowledge that you didn’t have to work as hard. Just harder than the other guy.

 

Grading on a curve encourages us to compare ourselves to others. It doesn’t push us to excellence; it doesn’t push us to perfection. Instead, it allows us to accept mediocrity. This is true, not just in the classroom, but also in life.

 

The Jewish Christians to whom James wrote his letter, had a problem with showing favoritism to rich people. What he wrote regarding this was a scathing indictment.

 

¹ My dear brothers and sisters, how can you claim to have faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ if you favor some people over others?    NLT

 

In their defense, you can understand why it might have been a temptation. During the first century, the vast majority of people were extremely poor. Plus, keep in mind that these believers had scattered across the Mediterranean world to flee from persecution. As a result, they were living on the edge – barely surviving at times.

 

So, if they crossed paths with someone of means; someone who dressed well; someone who was wealthy – it would have been easy to rationalize why it was okay for them to manipulate that person for their own personal financial benefit. While at the same time, ignoring the needs of poor people.

 

But not for James. Sounding similar to one of the Beatitudes from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, he reminded them about how God views poor people.

 

⁵ Listen to me, dear brothers and sisters. Hasn’t God chosen the poor in this world to be rich in faith? Aren’t they the ones who will inherit the Kingdom he promised to those who love him?          NLT

 

Then he quoted the “royal law” from Leviticus – “Love your neighbor as yourself”. Following this he explained that by showing favoritism, the believers were sinning. They were breaking the “royal law”. And if you break one of God’s laws, you break all of them.

 

Grading on a curve in life makes it much easier. All we have to do is find someone who we’re just a little bit better than. For example, we can say, “I may have showed favoritism, but at least I didn’t murder anyone”.

 

In America, we live in a secular culture where there are no absolute truths. But God doesn’t grade on a curve. His Word is unchanging. It’s immutable. This would be bad news for us except for the fact that we have a loving and merciful God.

 

Paul, who before he was converted, was systematically persecuting the church with murder in his heart. After his conversion, he had this to say about the mercy of God.

 

¹⁶ But God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of his great patience with even the worst sinners. Then others will realize that they, too, can believe in him and receive eternal life.              NLT   1 Timothy 1

 

Copyright 2026 Joseph B Williams

Feel free to share this blog with others.

www.lifelinebasketball.blogspot.com

 

 

Popping Pimples

A Series on the book of James
Listening and Doing
(Click on the link below to read the verses.)
James 1:19-27 

[James is one of my favorite books of the Bible. In some ways, it’s similar to Old Testament wisdom literature like Proverbs. It includes many practical applications to help a believer grow in their faith. In this series, we will look at the wisdom of James’ letter and how it applies to our lives.]

  

I have something to confess. When I was a teenager, one of the biggest worries that preoccupied my thoughts was my complexion. Figuratively speaking, I would spend hours in front of the mirror looking for pimples. Once spotted, I would immediately go into action and pop that sucker.

 

James wrote his letter to the “twelve tribes” of Israel who had been scattered throughout the Roman Empire. For many, this dispersion occurred over the centuries. But following Stephen’s martyrdom in the first century, a “great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem”.

 

Because of this, all except for the apostles, were driven from their homes. These were Jewish believers whose lives had been turned upside down. They were not only living under the oppressive rule of Rome, but also the murderous persecution of Paul.

 

Under these difficult circumstances, James knew that there was a temptation to lash out in anger at others. But he also understood that this would only make matters worse.

 

Therefore, he gave them three simple steps to follow.

 

¹⁹ Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. ²⁰ Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires. ²¹ So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls. NLT

 

“Quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to get angry”. It sounds so simple, and yet it isn’t. Think about drivers who cut you off in traffic; or anger directed at your spouse; or irritation when you’re bombarded with telemarketing calls and texts.

 

However, James also advised them to “humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts”. Which also sounds simple, but isn’t. Because in the heat of the moment, we tend to forget God’s word quickly. Here’s what James said about this.

 

²² But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. ²³ For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. ²⁴ You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. ²⁵ But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it.    NLT

 

Popping pimples was an obsession for me. I couldn’t just look in the mirror and walk away without doing something. That’s what James was saying. He instructed them, to “look carefully”, or as the NASB puts it “look intently”, into the perfect law.

 

But his emphasis is on doing, not just looking.

 

²² But prove yourselves doers of the word [actively and continually obeying God’s precepts], and not merely listeners [who hear the word but fail to internalize its meaning], deluding yourselves [by unsound reasoning contrary to the truth].  AMP

 

We are to be doers of the Word, not just hearers. The goal is outward obedience and inward transformation; an authentic faith that proves itself in the crucible of life.

 

Copyright 2026 Joseph B Williams

Feel free to share this blog with others.

www.lifelinebasketball.blogspot.com