Wednesday
Read James 3:1-12
3 My brothers and sisters, not many of you
should become teachers. As you know, we teachers will be judged with greater
strictness than others. 2All of us often make mistakes. But if a
person never makes a mistake in what he says, he is perfect and is also able to
control his whole being. 3We put a bit into the mouth of a horse to
make it obey us, and we are able to make it go where we want. 4Or
think of a ship: big as it is and driven by such strong winds, it can be
steered by a very small rudder, and it goes wherever the pilot wants it to go. 5So
it is with the tongue: small as it is, it can boast about great things.
Just think how large a forest can be set
on fire by a tiny flame! 6And the tongue is like a fire. It is a
world of wrong, occupying its place in our bodies and spreading evil through
our whole being. It sets on fire the entire course of our existence with the
fire that comes to it from hell itself. 7Human beings can tame and
have tamed all other creatures—wild animals and birds, reptiles and fish. 8But
no one has ever been able to tame the tongue. It is evil and uncontrollable,
full of deadly poison. 9We use it to give thanks to our Lord and
Father and also to curse other people, who are created in the likeness of God. 10Words
of thanksgiving and cursing pour out from the same mouth. My brothers and
sisters, this should not happen! 11No spring of water pours out
sweet water and bitter water from the same opening. 12A fig tree, my
brothers and sisters, cannot bear olives; a grapevine cannot bear figs, nor can
a salty spring produce sweet water.
Think
The way we speak says a lot about the state of our hearts.
Pray
Lord I catch myself speaking of others in ways that are disrespectful; I
even speak to myself inappropriately.
Help me to be transformed by your grace and love.
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