James 3:5-9 (NLT) - In the same way, the tongue is a small thing that makes grand speeches. But a tiny spark can set a great forest on fire. (6) And the tongue is a flame of fire. It is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself. (7) People can tame all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and fish, (8) but no one can tame the tongue. (9) It is restless and evil, full of deadly poison. Sometimes it praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it curses those who have been made in the image of God."
"Sometimes it curses those who have been made in the image of God." When I curse someone made in the image of God, I am cursing God, since essentially He created the person I am cursing.
My biggest realization lately is that I am not always the one doing the cursing, and that sometimes I allow my ears to become someone else's garbage can. Often, what I don't realize is how easily I then fall prey to taking up someone else's offense.
There is a difference between listening to someone who is seeking advice and listening to someone who is just wanting to whine and complain. I think I am being a good friend by just listening, but I'm learning now how much it actually affects me, my relationship with God, and my relationship with the people involved.
By the same token, I have seen how much my whining and venting about others has also affected relationships. More often than not, and very humbling to admit, I am just looking for a sympathetic ear because I love to whine. I DO THIS ALL THE TIME!!!!
Why? Why do I curse people made in God's image? Especially knowing that according to verse 6 my tongue can set my whole life on fire. And yet, I constantly fuel the flame with my whining using the excuse that I'm venting, and I allow others to do the same. The thing is I always feel horrible afterwards. What I thought would be cathartic always leaves me feeling guilty and full of shame. That's how I know it is sin, and I run to God asking for forgiveness.
Although, I know God has forgiven me, the damage has been done, and fuel has been added to the fire.... a fire that starts out as a burning ember, just waiting for a little spark.
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by Lisa Walker
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- Jessica Stephens and Lisa Walker
- This is a joint-theological online journal by Jessica Stephens and Lisa Walker. We pray that our writings help us grow closer to God as individuals and bless you, the readers. If you have comments or questions, feel free to email us at krumpledwings@gmail.com or leave a comment.
1 comment:
jess says...
you know what i think it is???? our lives would actually be nice and simple...but i think we get bored. like what i mean is that when we are too happy or too easy going we feel the need to stir things up.
also, i know for me, i joke a lot...and i really have to be careful, b/c the FUNNIEST jokes are the ones that hit close, but not too close to home. and it's hard sometimes to find that line. also...even if you are totally joking, the other person can interpret wrongly and get hurt. also, something can start as a joke and then escalate very quickly. so...it's like, do i stop joking then? but...joking is a way to get closer to people, so...i just have to be careful.
but i think this all comes back to one of your prior blogs where you pointed out that our lives would be so much simpler if we just didn't sin. i think that's totally true.
it's so weird to think that we are made in the image of God. it's weird too that the word is "image" b/c that is such a visual term for something that's not visual at all, since God is a Spirit. does it mean we share something of God's nature? or does it just mean that we are a fingerprint--bearing merely the imprint/ownership of God?
It kind of doesn't matter either way, b/c the important thing is that we love each other b/c of this image.
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