Power To Destroy: The Fire and Animals

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 09-19-03

 

My Worship Time                              Focus:  Power to destroy:  the Fire and animals

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                         Reference:  James 3:5-8

 

            Message of the verse:  “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 person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.  7 All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, 8 but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.”  (NIV)

            I think that the most important thing that I have learned from this section is the hope that God can tame the tongue, for when the tongue is controlled by the flesh, or by Satan it can destroy.  Words can hurt, and they can destroy a life in a very short order.  Dr. Dobson read a letter from a woman who was teased without mercy in her school years, and must not have gotten any encouragement or instruction at her home, and because of those words she started to look for love in the wrong places, got into drugs, had a number of children before she was married, and basically had her life ruined.  The story turns out much better as she did get saved, and then got married having three children, but one could tell from her letter that she had been greatly wounded by words.

            James in this section compares the tongue to a fire and to wild animals, and one does not have to have to great of an imagination to see the similarities between the three.  It only takes a little spark to set a whole forest on fire, and it only takes a few words to devastate a person’s life.  Likewise an animal can also destroy and even kill a person, for it is impatient and unruly.

            While Jesus was upon the earth He heard people say hurtful things about Him.  I am sure that He heard on many occasions that he was born out of wedlock, He was accused of being in league with Satan, and even a drunk.  If you think about these times and how Jesus handled those situations then you can get an idea of how we are to handle it when spoken to in harsh terms.  Jesus was meek, He was power under control, and certainly knew who He was and what He came to do, and did not deviate from His Father’s will for Him.

 

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  I think the most important thing that I can learn from this section of Scripture is that God wants to control my tongue, and if I allow Him to do this then my life will bring honor and glory to Him, which is why I am here on earth.  The chief end of man is to glorify God.

 

The Word of God has brought a huge challenge to my heart as I read it this morning, and it also has convicted me.

 

My Steps of Faith Today:  To trust the Lord with the words that I speak, that they my bring honor and glory to His name.