Daily Devotions

James 3: 5The 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.

James reminds us that great destruction can be brought about by a small spark or light. In this part of the world, we have great forest fires every summer where thousands of acres of forest lands are destroyed. Sometimes hundreds of houses along the forest fringe are also destroyed.

Farms are also burned down and farm animals are also killed. Such great destructions may be caused by a small spark like a lighted match falling on dry grass or a cigarette stub carelessly thrown on the ground. Great fires can be caused by insignificant and small start.

James here compares the tongue of man to that of the flame of fire. The tongue is small and insignificant but it can caused great damages to the body of Christ through its malicious gossips and slanders. Many lives and even churches have been destroyed because of such slanders.

The scriptures teach us that we must use our tongue wisely and to control it. Provs 16: 24 reminds us that “gracious words are honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones”.

Paul also wrote in Col 4: 6 Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.

Sanctification is the process of the work of the Holy spirit in our lives, as we allow Him to deal with our bad habits and remove our evil intents in our hearts. It is also important that we allow the Holy Spirit to do His work in our lives by healing our hurts and removing the evil thoughts in our minds.

Foolish words bring hurt and destructions and foolish word do great harm to relationship in the body of Christ.  Jesus said out of the fullness of our heart do we speak. If our hearts are full of hurt and anger, then the words that come out of our mouths will be hurting and angry words.