A few weeks ago, a serious forest fire devastated 2700 acres in the Michaux State Forest here in Pennsylvania. Close friends of ours have a property located very near to where the fires burned, and thankfully their property was spared. Others were not so fortunate.
The news reported that the fire was started not by lightning, but by humans. In fact, the news went on to say that 99% of forest fires are started by humans.
But there is another fire we humans often start.
James, the brother of Jesus wrote, “Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.” (James 3:5–6)
James likely was putting his own spin on something his brother once taught, “But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister, will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.” (Mt 5:22)
Have you ever started a fire with your tongue? I have. Often we start those fires with the people closest to us. We allow our tongues to spew fire, burning the people we love with our demeaning words, flippant responses, and our harmful tones.
This week, we’re going to learn about how, while we use our tongues to start fires in our relationships, our fire-breathing puts out another fire. It sounds counterintuitive and impossible. You don’t use a flamethrower to put out a fire. But in 1 Thessalonians 5:19, we will learn that the very fire we allow to flow from our mouths and damage people, will put out another fire that God does not want us to put out.
Let me say that again. There’s a fire God does not want us to put out. And yet, that very important fire that God wants to keep burning we can put out by the fire that comes from our out-of-control mouths.
Have I confused you yet? Or perhaps you know quite well what I’m talking about!
Join me back here on Monday as we begin to talk about the fire God does not want us to put out.
Photo by Tali Despins on Unsplash
Engaging Scripture 