Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Taming the Tongue (James 3:5b-12)

See how great a forest is set aflame by such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire, the very world of iniquity; the tongue is set among our members as that which defiles the entire body, and sets on fire the course of our life, and is set on fire by hell. For every species of beasts and birds, of reptiles and creatures of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by the human race. But no one can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil and full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God; from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be this way. Does a fountain send out from the same opening both fresh and bitter water? Can a fig tree, my brethren, produce olives, or a vine produce figs? Nor can salt water produce fresh.
(James 3:5b-12, NASB)

As I was beginning to write today’s devotional, I really struggled with what to say. Even after I prayed and started several times, I kept hitting the delete button.

I feel very strongly about the fact that many Christians “bless our Lord and Father, and … curse men” with the very same tongue. “… from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing.” I so agree with James when he writes, “… these things ought not to be this way.”

Things as seemingly simple as writing “OMG” on a Facebook page are so not right … And the proliferation of vulgarities …

I know I sound old-fashioned, but when did it become okay to use really vulgar words in everyday language? What makes us different from everyone else when we’re using the same curses they do?

I think the problem is these words have become part of the world’s lexicon. You hear and read them everywhere.

But think about it. Jesus is with you all the time. He hears your words and knows your thoughts. What would He want to hear?

Think about it.

No comments: