OUR DAILY BREAD : LITTLE THINGS

[cimi]

July 18
Friday


LITTLE THINGS

READ:
James 3:1-12
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The tongue is a little
member and boasts
great things.
__james 3:5
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A mosquito is a tiny insect__but its potential for devastation is huge. When I was in the 5th grade, I was bitten by mosquitoes on both of my knees. The bites became infected and deteriorated into a threatening case of blood poisoning. For over a month, I was pricked repeatedly with penicillin shots, and my knees had to be lanced and drained twice daily to remove the infection. It was excruciatingly painful and quite terrifying for a 10-year old kid. To this day, I carry scars on my knees from the numerous lancings. All because of something as tiny as a mosquito.

James, the half-brother of Jesus, warns us of another little thing that can also be very destructive. He says that even though the tongue is little, it boasts great things. It's like a small spark that sets a great forest on fire (3:5). Although the tongue is small, there is nothing small about the damage it can do. Words carry with them the power of healing or a destructive capacity far greater than the poison of any mosquito bite.

It is essential that we use our words with great wisdom and care. Consider carefully the words you choose. Will they be seasoned with the balm of grace or with the poison of anger? __Bill Crowder
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````````````````````A careless word may kindle strife,`````````````
`````````````````````A cruel word may wreck a life,```````````````
````````````````````A timely word may lessen stress,`````````````
`````````````````A loving word may heal and bless. __Anon.````````
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It is better to bite your tongue
than to let it bite someone else.

***************Today's Bible Reading __ James 3:1-12*************

1 My brethren, let not many
of you become teachers,
knowing that we shall receive
a stricter judgment. 2 For we
all stumble in many things. If
anyone does not stumble in
word, he is a perfect man,
able also to bridle the whole
body.

3 Indeed, we put bits in
horses' mouths that they may
obey us, and we turn their
whole body. 4 Look also at
ships: although they are so
large and are driven by fierce
wind, they are turned by a
very small rudder wherever
the pilot desires. 5 Even so
the tongue is a little member
and boasts great things.

See how great a forest a
little fire kindles! 6 And the
tongue is a fire, a world of
iniquity. The tongue is so set
among our members that it
defiles the whole body, and
sets on fire the course of
nature; and it is set on fire
by hell.

7 For every kind of beast
and bird, of reptile and
creature of the sea, is tamed
and has been tamed by
mankind. 8 But no man can
tame the tongue. It is an
unruly evil, full of deadly
poison.

9 With it we bless our God
and father, and with it we
curse men, who have been
made in the similitude of
God. 10 Out of the same
mouth proceed blessing and
cursing. My brethren, these
things ought not to be so.

11 Does a spring send forth
fresh water and bitter from
the same opening? 12 Can a
fig tree, my brethren, bear
olives, or a grapevine bear
figs? Thus no spring yields
both salt water and fresh.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>INSIGHT<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

The words of Jesus caution the believer: "For every idle word men
may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment"
(Matt. 12:36). We will be held accountable not only for what we
have done but also for what we have said. __Dennis Fisher