Powerful Little Tongues Written by Neal Bowes

Friday, August 13

James 3:3-12
³ When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. ⁴ Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. ⁵ Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. ⁶ The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of one's life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.

⁷ All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by human beings, ⁸ but no one can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.

⁹ With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God's likeness. ¹⁰ Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. ¹¹ Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? ¹² My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.

Do you remember a time when somebody said something that made you feel really great? How about something that made you feel awful? Did you ever say something that made somebody else feel awful? How did you feel about that?

We wield a lot of power with our little tongues. The Bible compares them to the little things that steer ships and start forest fires.

Reread verses 9 and 10. What lesson do these verses have for our everyday conversations?

Carefully consider the words you are about to use before you speak. Remember that Jesus would have us speak to others as though we were speaking to him.


If today's devotion spoke to you in a particular way and you feel led to share your thoughts with others, please do so.