Illustrations highlight this natural inconsistency (cf. Matthew 7:16). A water source can yield only one kind of water. A tree can only produce fruit of its own kind. A salt spring cannot produce fresh water any more than a fallen human nature can naturally produce pure words. A fountain, a tree, and the tongue all have power to delight (cf. James 3:5; James 3:8). [source][source][source]
"Small and influential, the tongue must be controlled; satanic and infectious, the tongue must be corralled; salty and inconsistent, the tongue must be cleansed." [1][source]
James was dealing, as in the preceding chapters, with root causes of human behavior that is out of harmony with God"s will. He contrasts strongly with the religious teachers that Jesus rebuked for their superficiality and hypocrisy. He was, of course, picturing human behavior as it is naturally apart from the sanctifying influence of the Holy Spirit. [source][source][source]