Spend time in prayer and silence with God, asking Him to meet with you and speak to you.
Bible Reading
Not many of you should presume to be teachers my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check. When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. 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. 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. 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 his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 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 3:1-10
Devotion
It is estimated that the average person says about thirty thousand words every day. Jesus said, “Out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.” What we say is a window into our soul. You can learn a lot about a person by listening to what they say. James communicates that the human tongue is the most dangerous weapon in the world. My mother used to say, “If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all!” More hurt has been caused by spoken/written words than by all the other weapons created by man. James tells us the tongue is like a fire; when it is under control, it is a blessing; when it is out of control, it is devastating. It can be a cure, or it can be a curse. The tongue reveals genuine faith, because it is with the mouth that confession is made of that which is in the heart.
The Big Question
Have you ever been hurt by hateful words? Have you ever hurt others with hateful words? What do your words reveal about your heart? Are your words consistent with your profession of faith?
Conclude your time in prayer and silence, reflecting on what God revealed to you today.