How dangerous are the words we say?
May 13-17, 2024 | Always Peachy Devotionals | Book of James Week 3
Have you ever said something you regretted?
Oh boy, I have. Many times. And it’s not like you can change it. You can’t rewind the tape and unsay what you’ve said. You can’t force the toothpaste back into the tube. Once the words are out of your mouth, they’re out, and you can’t undo the damage they’ve done. You can only apologize for it.
This month, we are studying the Book of James, which is a small letter at the back of the New Testament, written by a man who scholars believe was the half-brother of Jesus Himself.
Honestly, I can’t wait to meet this guy when we get to heaven. I want to hear his story. I want to know what it was like growing up with Jesus as your big brother, and I really want to know what changed his mind about who Jesus truly is. We know it was the Resurrection, but I can’t wait to hear the story from James’s own mouth.
One of the things we’re going to talk about this week specifically is Context, because in James it’s very important to consider. Context is so important, and not just in Scriptural interpretation. Context matters in all forms of communication.
The Book of James was written to Christians. Did you know that? He says so at the very beginning of the letter, that it is addressed to Jewish believers scattered throughout the Roman Empire. Knowing that James is writing to believers should alter our interpretation of what he writes. That means he’s not talking to people about being saved; he’s talking to people who are already saved.
The Book of James is about practical Christian living. And that’s one of the reasons why it’s such a hard-hitting book. Thank you to those of you who have been praying for me as I write these devotions; James doesn’t pull punches, so I can’t either. But I do pray that you will hear my love for you as I try to explain what God has taught me from His Word.
James chapter 3 is very much focused on our words and what we say and how we say it, and so that’s really the majority of what we’re going to talk about this week. Our mouths and how our words should reflect what we say we believe.
Teachers have a higher standard (James 3:1)
The power of our words (James 3:6)
Fresh water from a salty spring (James 3:10-12)
Your life should reflect God’s wisdom (James 3:13)
Peacemakers and the harvest (James 3:18)
And since we’re focusing on our words, I thought there was no better option for a memory verse than James 3:2.
Think about that. James is saying that if we could learn to control our tongues, we would be perfect. He’s saying that we could be blameless in everything else that we do and still be ruined because of one thing we say. He’s saying that if we could control our speech, nothing would be impossible for us.
And as someone who communicates for a living? I can say he’s absolutely right. I can get everything else right, but my mouth will trip me up. Either I’ll say something I shouldn’t, or I’ll keep quiet when I should speak up.
None of us can control our tongues—not by ourselves. God can help us, and He will. But we’ve got to let Him. That’s the tricky part, and that’s what we’re going to talk about this week.
Love you guys.
Amy
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