james 3

This morning at church, we read this passage from James 3.......

¹Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. ²We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check.

³When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. ⁴Or 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. ⁵Likewise 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. ⁶The 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.

⁷All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, ⁸but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.

⁹With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness. ¹⁰Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. ¹¹Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? ¹²My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.

Our teacher had us all write words on the board that were positive types of words that come out of our mouths.  Many of us had to think before we went to the board to write our word.  After everyone wrote a positive word, our teacher had us write negative types of words that come out of our mouths.  It didn't take us near as much time for us all to think of negative words.  

After the illustration our board looked like this....

Just like it was easier for us to write the negative words, it is easier for our sinful nature to say those negative words.  I want to have more positive words come out of my mouth this week than negative words.  I want my mouth to bring praise to the Lord in everything I say this week.