29th. May. 2021. Daily Devotion.
James 3:1-6
3 When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal.
4 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.
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 body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.
James is a practical person whose writing is full of descriptive, helpful images. In this passage about wise speech, he talks about training horses, steering ships, sparking forest fires, taming animals, testing springs of water, and comparing fruit trees. The variety of images here helps us to explore the importance of wise speech from several angles.
Perhaps you have noticed how even a simple phrase that’s out of order or misunderstood in a conversation or on social media can bring a painful and immediate backlash that breaks trust and disrupts relationships. It’s like a great forest fire that’s ignited by a small but poorly timed spark. Sometimes it may feel safer to say nothing at all in order to avoid trouble, but the message in James is that our pure speech is needed to create Christlike community.
Forestry experts will sometimes say that a forest fire can be necessary—to break seed pods open and to feed soil with the nutrients of ashes. Big, difficult conversations can also be necessary at times, but we still need to be wise. Our speech shouldn’t be about building up our own reputation as clever critics or about taking sides and being divisive. The only way to know what really needs to be said is to remain rooted and connected to Christ through the Spirit and the Word.
~ J P Vanderveen.
Prayer
Lord, it can be hard to know what to say sometimes.
There’s so much controversy and pain in the world, and we don’t want to make things worse by saying the wrong thing.
Help us to know how and when to speak so that our words can bring peace and healing.
Amen
Prayers of Penitence.
Let us return to the Lord our God and say to him:
Father, we have sinned against heaven and against you.
We are not worthy to be called your children.
We turn to you again.
Have mercy on us and bring us back to yourself as those who once were dead but now have life through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Come, let us return to the Lord and say:
Lord our God, in our sin we have avoided your call.
Our love for you is like a morning cloud, like the dew that goes away early.
Have mercy on us; deliver us from judgement; bind up our wounds and revive us; in Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Amen.
Pandemic Prayers
Lord Jesus Christ, you taught us to love our neighbour, and to care for those in need as if we were caring for you. In this time of anxiety, give us strength to comfort the fearful, to tend the sick, and to assure the isolated of our love, and your love, for your name’s sake.
Amen.
God of compassion, be close to those who are ill, afraid or in isolation. In their loneliness, be their consolation; in their anxiety, be their hope; in their darkness, be their light; through him who suffered alone on the cross, but reigns with you in glory Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
