Vital Signs: Tuesday, November 19, 2024

“Indeed, we all make many mistakes. For if we could control our tongues, we would be perfect and could also control ourselves in every other way. We can make a large horse go wherever we want by means of a small bit in its mouth. And a small rudder makes a huge ship turn wherever the pilot chooses to go, even though the winds are strong. In the same way, the tongue is a small thing that makes grand speeches. But a tiny spark can set a great forest on fire.” - ‭‭James‬ ‭3:2-5‬ ‭(NLT)‬‬

Talk Is Not Cheap

If we are not in control of our tongues, it can be very costly for us and those around us. How often have we been burned by something we’ve said? And how often has our criticism or insensitivity set off a destructive fire of anger in someone else?

If counseling, support groups, Bible studies, and church attendance are not impacting what we say and how we say it, we might need to take a deeper dive into a self-checkup or reevaluate the churches or Bible studies we’re involved in. Don’t just waste time going through the motions. Our tongues, first and foremost, must honor God.