KneEmail - a devotional by Mike Benson associated with Forthright Magazine
Burned
NATIONWIDE, ALMOST FIVE million acres have been torched by wildfires this year...
In Montana alone, 2,000 fires have raged over 457,000 acres. The Washington Post called it "a 100 year catastrophe" for the state (Susan Gallagher, "Western Wildfires Show No Sign of Slowing," Washington Post, Aug. 18, 2000, p. A22).
Of interest, it is believed that a cricket landing on an electric fence caused one of these natural disasters. Try to picture that for a minute. There was a spark, a small fire, a brush fire and then, the death of acres.
Does that bring a Bible verse to mind?
"Behold, how much wood is kindled by how small a fire! And the tongue is a fire...which defileth the whole body" ( Jas. 3:5b-6a).
Someone has said, "As one grows older and wiser, he talks less and says more." Why wait? Look through the NT book of James. There are so many constructive ways to use the tongue.
We can pray. Jas. 1:5, 13; 5:13-16
We be kind instead of critical. Jas. 2:12-13; 4:11; 5:9
We can praise God and encourage man. Jas. 4:13-15
We can help brethren who are struggling. Jas. 5:19-20
Read the passage above one more time ( Jas. 3:5b-6a). When you and I misuse our tongue, who gets burned? (Dan Winkler)
KneEmail: "Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things.See how great a forest a little fire kindles!" ( Jas. 3:5).