Linder Road church of Christ - Meridian, Idaho

Teacher

Lesson Summary

The class examined how Scripture links speech with wisdom or folly, beginning with Proverbs 15:2, 15:7, 15:14, and 15:28, which describe the wise tongue as an adornment of knowledge and the fool’s mouth as a source of folly and evil. The teacher highlighted Proverbs 18:6‑7, emphasizing that the lips of fools bring strife and can even provoke violence. The discussion then moved to James 3:1‑10, where the apostle explains that the tongue, though small, wields great influence, likening it to a horse’s bit or a ship’s rudder, capable of directing the whole body. James warned that no one can tame the tongue on their own and that it can both bless God and curse fellow humans. The lesson reinforced that true perfection, as urged in Philippians 3 and Matthew 5:48, begins with controlling what we say, because our words reveal the state of our hearts before God. Attendees left with a clear challenge to seek godly wisdom, weigh their responses, and let their speech honor Christ.

Key Scriptures