Daily Devotions

James 3:1-6 My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.
2 For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.
3 Behold, we put bits in the horses’ mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body.
4 Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth.
5 Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!
6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.
KJV
Just how damaging can our words be? The tongue is compared here to that which sets on fire the course of nature. Our words can and do discourage people, even destroy people. The book of Proverbs says this about our words in Proverbs 25:18 “A man that beareth false witness against his neighbour is a maul, and a sword, and a sharp arrow.” Those were the weapons of war at that time and they did destroy people and nation. A maul was a club used at close range that battered a person into submission. A sword left just a little distance between a man and his enemy, but it cut sharp and left a deadly would. An arrow could be fired at a distance, it left the archer a safe distance away but still delivered a deadly blow. This is what our words are compared to and considering that we need to be careful what we say to and about people. People can be crushed by our words, cut by them and pierced by them so be careful what you say. Only the Spiritual man can control his tongue.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, December 2nd, 2015 at 7:31 am and is filed under Daily Devotions. You can skip to the end and leave a response.