Day 5–Fire-setter? Or fighter?
Scripture reading for April 3: James 3:5-6 “So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell.”
As a fire-fighter, I love to put out brush and grass fires. In fact, just yesterday, I was playing golf and a grass fire call came over my pager. I rushed back to the clubhouse and then drove quickly the half-mile to the fire station. I jumped into my suit and boots and took the brush truck loaded with water back to the other side of the course. It turned out that the golf course superintendent had started a small brush fire in the morning and the wind picked up blowing sparks into nearby grass. The dry grass quickly spread as wind gusted and flames headed for the adjoining houses. It was just a small brush fire that ignited several acres in a short time! Thankfully, working with others, it was quickly extinguished.
James wrote about the tongue as a small fire set in the body. The untamed tongue is a world of unrighteousness and evil. Although small, our tongue can quickly start a big blaze that spreads rapidly bringing wide-spread devastation. James says that our untamed tongue can set the whole course of life on fire and it derives it’s deadly match from hell itself.
As a first responder who fights fires, I surely don’t want to be responsible for setting them! The longer I live as a member of my community of responders, The better I am understanding the power of our tongues. Our words can bring healing, they can break through hardened hearts, they can comfort and encourage and help maintain unity and good will. But if we are careless with our words, they can start fires of strife among our community destroying unity. Each person must go to God for grace and power to tame the fire of our tongues. Let’s be fire-fighters and not igniters!
Prayer: Father God, thank You for giving Your children understanding concerning the power of our tongues and the need for Your help in bringing the fire under control. Help me to use my tongue to quench the fires of pride and calm the winds that spread discord. Amen.
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