The unguarded tongue

The book of James is a powerful treatise on the Christian life. Specifically, the practice of the Christian life. James writes to encourage believers to move faith from principle to practice. Readers of James recognize very sensitive subjects early on in his writing; issues of class distinction, the relationship of faith to good works, and others that cause people to squirm.

Among the most sensitive are his thoughts on how Christians speak to and about one another. Nothing divides a community of faith more than bickering and abuse, particularly when its teachers participate in the sniping.

James 3:5 days; 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 unguarded tongue in a believer is like the unguarded campfire in a forest. The Body, with its basic instincts, is like the forest in a dry season; the smallest spark sets it ablaze. Not only is the tongue like a fire, but it is also like a dangerous animal. Some animals are poisonous, and some tongues spread poison.  The deceptive thing about poison is that it works secretly and slowly, and then kills. How many times has some malicious person injected a bit of poison into your conversation and you didn’t notice initially? 

The important thing, of course, is the heart; for it is “out of the abundance of the heart that the mouth speaks” (Matt. 12:34). If your heart is filled with hatred, Evil will light the fire. If your heart is filled with love, God will light the fire.

The challenge for today: I want to be impeccable with my words.

Blessings

Fr. Luis+