James 3:9-10

“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.”

The third chapter of James is one of the most convicting chapters in the entire Bible because it deals with “the tongue,” which it describes as “fire,” and “poison,” and a “world of evil.” One minute we are praising God and encouraging one another and the next we are hurling insults and using bad words. Indeed, your mouth can provide the spark that lights an entire forest on fire in your relationships.

I often tell my kids – and anyone else who will listen – that the more we speak, the more we sin (Proverbs 10:19). Additionally, I tell them that sometimes, the most Christ-like thing we can do is to just shut up. I don’t think most of us realize just how powerful our words can be, and so we don’t treat them with the care they require. If I handed you a glass filled with a dangerous chemical, odds are good that you would carry it with great care, right? We need to think of our tongues in the same manner.

APPLICATION: Think of some words that really hurt your feelings and share them as a group. Don’t take this as an opportunity to point your fingers at each other, but simply to realize how powerful a few little words can be. Pray and ask the Lord to forgive you for your careless use of words and to help you take control of your mouth for the glory of God and for the good of your family.