James 3:7 KJV
[7] “For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind:”
God has given man the ability to tame the wild beast of the field, the fowls of the air, and even the animals of the sea. Animals great and small were placed under the authority of man. If you have ever been to a circus, then you have seen this verse come to light. It is both entertaining and fascinating to watch these animals follow the commands given to them by their trainers.
James uses this illustration to remind us that while man has the capability to tame a wild animal, he cannot tame the tongue. The tongue is every bit as unpredictable as a wild animal. You may have the tongue under control, but it can turn in an instant. The tongue can never be fully tamed, so it can never be fully trusted.
What are we to do with this wild beast? The answer is not to chain it or cage it up. Our tongue is not going to be confined. Try as we may, eventually it will break free of its chain or cage.
I heard a preacher preach years ago on a message entitled “It Will Break Out on You.” He talked of a man who was a roofer by trade. He was coming to church and was trying to reform his life by doing better. The man had a foul mouth, and he was attempting to clean up his vocabulary. He was proud because he had gone two weeks without swearing. Then one day while hammering on a roof, he hit his thumb with a hammer. Well, “it broke out on him”, and he soon realized that he needed salvation rather than reformation. Dear reader, the only thing to do with this wild beast is to slay it! We must put our tongue on the altar of sacrifice every morning and ask the Lord to set a watch before our mouth.