James 3:5-6 NIV
“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.”
In the book of James, James admonished the Christians not to dwell on disputes, not to point fingers to one another. not to show favoritism or partiality, etc. Christians should live out the truth. “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” (James 1:22 NIV). In Chapter three of James, it explains the severity of damages on speech if it is not controlled properly. Although it is only a small little tongue, it can make huge influences. Just like a tiny little spark of fire can burn down a great forest. If people do not control their tongue well, it corrupts the whole body, not only to oneself, but also do harms to others.
In Proverbs 16:28, “A perverse person stirs up conflict, and a gossip separates close friends.” We can have a better understanding on the power of influences of our speech or words. If we do not control our tongue, it creates division or splitting. It deteriorates unity. So, we have to be careful on what we say. We need to cross check, do not judge the book by its cover, do not be judgmental. Also, we need to be constructive. “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” (Ephesians 4:29 NIV) Misunderstanding can be minimized if people do not gossip and do not harm people using their speech, it helps building interpersonal relationship positively.