Fire

James 3:3–12  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.  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.  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.

When I was 14-15, my friend Mike and I were out at the family cabin riding horses and just having a good time.   We had camped on top of the mountain overnight and had a box of matches (the old fashioned good wooden ones).  We decided it would be fun to flick the matches off the box and watch them burn as the flipped around through the air.  We would flip one, watch it and then get out and stomp it out.  Well…  I guess we missed one.  We turned and looked and saw that the field was on fire.  We jumped off horses and tried to put it out with no success.  In fact, the wind came up and suddenly we were running for our life from the fire.  Who knew fire could move that fast.  We finally, got enough ahead and fortunately someone had called the rural fire department and then came and extinguished it.  We burned over 100 acres and were very fortunate that no one or nothing was involved.  

The point was when I read the scripture for today and hear James calling the tongue a fire really comes to life.  He tells us that it is not only a fire but it can set the whole course of one’s life a fire.  Then to make it even scarier, it tells us that no human being can tame the tongue.   I know that I always struggle with my language.  Whether it’s vulgar language, gossip or just being negative I realize that it is a direct reflection of where my relationship with God is.  Only in the power of Christ can we use our tongue to fulfill it’s purpose, to Praise God and to lift up others.  How is your tongue doing?  Are you praising or cursing from it.   It tells everyone around you how you are doing.   O Lord, let me tongue be an instrument of praise and not evil.