to listen, slow to
.
God gave us all a button:
But what we really needed was this button:
You can do more
with your
than you can with any part of your body
19 My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, —James 1:19 NIV
No amount of
to the contrary create immediate
or recovery.
Our words
and more words don’t immediately make things
.
You can do more
with your
than you can with any part of your body.
James 3:2-6 (NIV)
2 We all
in many ways. Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect, able to keep their whole body in check. 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 body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. —James 3:2-6 NIV
It can poison the whole body, it can make the whole of life a blazing hell.
A
can be initiated by what you
.
can be initiated because of an
.
have been started over
.
Some of us have
the people we love the most with our
.
- I was just being
. - I was just
. - I was just
. - I didn’t
it.
It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on
by
.
6 And the tongue is a fire! It can be compared to the sum total of wickedness and is the most dangerous part of our human body. It corrupts the entire body and is a hellish flame! It releases a fire that can burn throughout the course of human existence —James 3:6 Passion Translation
7 All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, 8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. —James 3:7-8 NIV
8 but the tongue is not able to be tamed. It’s a fickle, unrestrained evil that spews out words full of toxic poison! —James 3:8 Passion Translation
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. —James 3:9-12 Passion Translation
REMEMBER
— At any moment, just remember your
for good and your potential for evil is really . Remember that.
— Surrender this formidable weapon to our Heavenly Father. Christians are to offer their bodies, all the parts of the body as a living
to God.
Confess
— Own the
, you have begun with your words. Own the scorching that has been a habit and cut it out. There is no place for sarcasm in marriage, .