What small thing can kindle a great fire?

A little fire, like the tongue.

Free Bible lesson for kids · Letters to the Churches

Taming the Tongue

James compared the tongue to a small bit that turns a horse, a small rudder that steers a ship and a little fire that can burn a forest. Our words matter.

Teach this lesson: film, sheets and guide Print the coloring page

Bible passage: James 3:1–12
Big idea: God helps us use our words for good.
Memory verse: Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer. Psalm 19:14 (KJV)
Ages: Preschool to preteen (3 to 12), with tips for each age
Time: About 45 minutes
Included, free: Animated story film, coloring page, class sheet, teacher guide, questions and answers, a game

The story

James wrote that we all stumble in many ways. Anyone who never says a wrong word could control his whole body (James 3:2). We put small bits in horses’ mouths to turn their whole bodies (James 3:3). Great ships pushed by fierce winds are steered by a very small helm, or rudder (James 3:4). In the same way, the tongue is small, but it “boasteth great things” (James 3:5).

“Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!” The tongue is like a fire that can do great harm (James 3:5–6). People have tamed all kinds of animals, but no man can tame the tongue (James 3:7–8). With the same mouth we praise God and say hurtful words to people made in God’s image (James 3:9–10). James said, “these things ought not so to be.” A spring cannot pour out both sweet and bitter water (James 3:10–11).

Read it in the Bible: James 3:1–12 (KJV)

¹My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation. ²For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body. ³Behold, we put bits in the horses’ mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body. ⁴Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth. ⁵Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! ⁶And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell. ⁷For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind: ⁸But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. ⁹Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. ¹⁰Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be. ¹¹Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter? ¹²Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh.

Questions to ask

What small thing steers a great ship?
A very small helm (rudder).
What small thing can kindle a great fire?
A little fire, like the tongue.
What should come out of our mouths?
Blessing, not cursing.

What this story teaches

Our words are small but have great power (James 3:5).
Hurtful words can spread harm like a little fire (James 3:5–6).
No person can tame the tongue by his own strength (James 3:8).
People are made in God’s image, so our words matter (James 3:9).
Blessing and cursing should not come from the same mouth (James 3:10).

Jesus Had Perfect Words

We all stumble with our words, but Jesus never did. He never sinned, and no deceit was ever found in His mouth.

1 Peter 2:22

A 45-minute lesson plan

5 min	Welcome and pray. Greet each child by name and pray: Ask God to help our words be kind.
10 min	The story. Play the story film: each verse appears on screen in the King James Version while the scene plays. Pause to ask what happens next.
10 min	Talk about it. Ask the three questions below. Then ask: “God helps us use our words for good.” What does that mean for us?
5 min	Memory verse. Say Psalm 19:14 together, covering one word at a time until the children can say it alone.
10 min	Activity. Younger children color the coloring page while you retell the story; older children do the class sheet (memory-verse fill-in, word search and questions).
5 min	Pray and send home. Pray together and send the sheet home so families can talk about the first question this week.

Preschool: keep it short and physical. Act out the story, use a simple prop, and repeat the big idea in one sentence.
Elementary: let children find the passage in their own Bibles. Ask “who, what, where” questions first, then “why.”
Preteens: read the verses before and after the passage, and ask how this story fits the whole story of the Bible.

Game time

For kids · activity · indoors · about 10 minutes

Toothpaste Trouble

You need: A tube of toothpaste, a paper plate, toothpicks

Let a few kids squeeze toothpaste onto the plate.
Now try to put it back in the tube with toothpicks. It’s almost impossible!
Talk: words are like toothpaste: once they’re out, you can’t take them back.

James says the tongue is a little member but can do great things, good or bad. Let our words be kind.

For youth group · game · indoors · about 15 minutes

Taboo Bible Words

You need: Cards with a Bible word and four forbidden words (ARK: boat, Noah, flood, animals), a timer

A player describes the word to their team without saying any of the forbidden words.
A watcher from the other team buzzes if they slip.
Most words guessed in a minute wins.

Guarding your words takes self-control. “If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man.”

Pray

Ask God to help our words be kind.