+DEV+ The Words You Say

Date: July 11, 2011 1:35 AM
Topic: +DEV+ The Words You Say

The Words You Say

"With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be." (JAMES 3:9-10)
Scripture Focus: James 3:1-12

Our cruise ship's captain steered the large vessel from the harbor out to sea. Days later, we stood on the deck guided by a small rudder, yet sailing easily between walls of glaciers.

I could see why James compares the tongue to a ship's rudder. He also associates it with fire. Fanned by negative feelings, the tongue complains, scolds, manipulates, lies, humiliates. A group of tongues together can destroy someone's character. Although animals of nearly every kind can be tamed, man's own tongue remains wild. Those are strong images for such a small body part!

The bottom line is that our words give us away. What we think finds its way onto our tongues and out the lips, and the result can be devastating. The only way to take our words captive for the Lord is to remember what the Living Word - the Word become flesh - has done for us. Not only did He speak life into being with just a word, He became the spoken and lived-out testimony of hope for us. Let the words of your mouth bring Him praise!

Insight: Out of the well of a heart committed to Christ comes a fountain of words that quench the thirst of spiritually parched lives.