Like a flame in a forest..

I know I haven't kept up with my blog and I really ought to and I've said I would but no promises. I will certainly try to better about it though. Today I just wanted to share something that I learned today and it really hit home with me.

In James chapter 3, the Bible talks about how the tongue is like the rudder of a ship. You don't even see it and it is so small but so powerful that it controls the direction of a huge ship. It also uses a couple other metaphors for the tongue, like a flame in a forest (hence the title).

Picture this: You are flying over a forest in a helicopter. As far as you can see in every direction there is only a sea of deep green. Now, unknown to you, one man has one cigarette and throws that seemingly harmless lit cigarette to the ground. It ignites a single blade of grass with its dim burning embers..but one blade turns to two..three..four..and threre's still no visible problem. The next week you fly over again only to your surprise there is no green. There where you used to have your sea of God's creation there is vast darkness. Every tree is charred and blackened and dead...and so are the animals.

It's not exactly the image of happiness but in a way that happens all around us and we hardly ever see it coming. Do you know what I'm talking about? Let me put it in terms that seem a little more applicable.

Imagine this: You have an amazing friend, you haven't been friends for very long but you hit it off really well. You are still getting to know each other and you decide to go to a party. Your friend gets to not feeling so well and heads home early. Now the hottie across the room (you know what I'm talking about) walks over and asks if they can hitch a ride home with you because they aren't feeling well. You figure something must be going around and the party is lame without your friend and they are hot so you give them a ride to their house and then head home. It's all innocent and you didn't do anything wrong..but someone saw them get in your car and told someone else that..but that person adds a little more to the story..and it continues to grow. Monday morning rolls around and you head to school. You walk up to your friend to ask them how they are doing but they give you the cold shoulder and start to walk away. You stop them and ask what the deal is. Well, they don't want to be seen with you because they heard you hooked up with someone in the back of your car and then went to their house after.

Was that true? No. Does gossip happen? Yes. It doesn't even have to be that severe. You might just have one friend who tells another friend that you trash talk them and then your on bad terms. Or maybe the tongue destroys in a way that isn't even gossip. Maybe you told someone they didn't look good in that goofy sweater and you didn't mean to hurt them and they act like it's no big deal..but they feel self consious all day. Maybe someone hacked you off and you called them something you shouldn't have and maybe it hurt them a little more than you know.

The words you say matter. Every last one. Your tongue is the most powerful thing in your body. It will make or break people. It will save or destroy people. I'm going to challenge you to something: Next time you have something mean to say and its burning inside you, yell out a compliment. You may get a goofy look, but you'll be much happier with a funny look than a ruined relationship. I promise.

So I have to ask, are your words showing love or spreading hate?