Wednesday, July 14, 2010

July 14, 2010

"When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. 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. 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. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 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. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring?" James 3:3-11
Little things can make a big difference!
I remember a tiny o-ring worth a couple of dollars that caused the Challenger to explode and killed our brave shuttle astronauts.
It was the failure of a few tiny heat tiles that caused the Columbia to disintigrate upon reentry high above Texas. More of our finest men and women perished in that tragedy.
A cell phone is small enough to fit in the tiniest hand. It can be placed in a purse or hidden in a pocket and yet it has revoluntioned the world!
Years ago I bought a tiny ring with a little diamond on it and offered it to a beautiful woman. She accepted it and agreed to become my wife and changed my life! It was a little thing that made a huge difference!
In our text, James is warning and bemoaning the destruction caused by something as tiny as the tongue.
I bet you are familiar with someone who has created big damage with a few words from a tiny tongue. Maybe that someone is you.
Once the damage is done it is impossible to undo it.
Wild animals can be tamed. Large ships can be controlled with tiny rudders. But the tongue is almost impossible to control. Left uncontrolled the tongue is like a raging fire. Have you ever tried to put out a forest fire?
James' big point in this short portion of Scripture is a huge truth about a tiny thing that requires lots of attention - the tongue!
Little things can make a big difference.

No comments:

Post a Comment