Visualize a scene interpreting James 3:1-12, depicted as a piece of digital art. It can start with an array of diverse people, some of whom are teachers. They stand near a horse with a bit in its mouth and a ship steered by a small rudder in a stormy sea in the background. The tongue, embodied as a fiery flame, sets a small spark that leads to a large forest fire. It represents a world of evil, corrupting the whole body and setting the course of one's life on fire. Various animals, birds, reptiles, and sea creatures symbolizing mankind's control are scattered around. The illustration also encompasses the image of a restless and untamable tongue, full of deadly poison. With one side of the tongue, praises for the Lord and Father come to light, while the other side curses human beings made in God's likeness. A juxtaposition of a spring flowing with fresh and salt water with trees bearing improbable fruits like olives on a fig tree or figs on a grapevine is present. The message to take away is that just as a salt spring can't produce fresh water or a fig tree bear olives, the same mouth shouldn't bring forth both praise and cursing.

James 3:1-12 - "Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. We all stumble in many ways. Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect, able to keep their whole body in check. When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. 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. All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water."

Book: James

Chapter: James 3

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