A rudder, when utilized by a true pilot, safely and productively steers the ship and its goods to the desired location, even amidst storms and waves and sirens and sea monsters.
A spark also, when placed in the hands of the wise, non-pyromaniac, builds a fire for warmth, for meals, for innovation and production. Little things that are designed to build up and bear fruit.
It's true James notes the evil nature of our tongues which inevitably are an overflow of our collective soul (not the band) and while I can't deny it, I wonder if more often than not with the existence of so much social media, technology and narcisim (I'm aware of the irony says the guy writing a post on his personal blog with a picture of himself and titled after a notable facial feature of his own) that the average bear isn't so much set on speaking evil but simply incapable of shutting-up?
Self control is difficult, it takes practice, it takes discipline, it takes intentionality and accountability.
Even good things such as expressing dreams and desires, plans and visions and missions and goals...all very good things but done without an understanding of the weight and accountability of such expressions we may, albeit naively, find ourselves leading others, challenging others, designing expectations and stirring movement in others lives that we never truly committed to ourselves...simply because our words, our tools, were naively used.
Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts...
Read James 1:19 and 3:1-12 and 4:13-17 and 5:13-20...ah, just read the whole letter, it's worth it.