READ
James 3:1-12
CONSIDER
At the start of Covid, our family planted a vegetable garden. A lesson I have gleaned is that when problems arise and plants don’t grow, the problem tends to lie below the surface.
This week as we continue in our Everyday Wisdom series, we explore the dangers of the tongue and the paradox of how with the same mouth we can praise God but curse others.
We often try different self-control techniques to manage our anger or the critical words that come out of our mouth but Jesus taught in Luke’s portrayal of the Sermon on the Mount that the mouth speaks what overflows from the heart.
My hope this week as we dive into James is that we will dig into the soil of our hearts and weed out what is growing beneath the surface so that with our mouths, we will praise God and bless others.
Pastor Tim Sreedharan
PRAY
Father, help us to be a people that use our words to praise God and bless others. Help us to dig deep within our hearts so that, by the power of your Spirit, evil will be rooted out of us. May the words that flow from our lips be a reflection of a heart overflowing from the goodness of Christ within us.
DIVING DEEPER
When has someone used their words in a way that has positively impacted you? When has someone used their words to tear you down?
Look at v1. What does it mean that teachers of the Word will be held to a higher standard? What are the implications? Why is it important for those gifted as teachers to continue to develop as teachers?
Questions to consider:
- Are we using our mouths to praise or curse?
- Are there other generational patterns we need to break that come from our mouth? Anger? A critical spirit?
A challenge for this week:
- How can you bless someone this week with your words?
- Is there a way you have used your words to curse? Do you need to check-in with someone or offer an apology?