Daily Office Readings for Wednesday of Proper 17: Year 1
Morning, Psalm 38; Evening, Psalm 119:25 to 48;
1st Kings 9:24 to10:13; James 3:1 to 12; Mark 15:1 to11:
“How great a forest is set ablaze by a small fire! And the tongue is a fire.” (James 3:5 and6)
I live in the country in North Carolina. Occasionally a neighbor will burn their rubbish rather than take it to the dump. My prayer in such situations is that they are watching it closely. As James says, a small fire out of control can burn down a neighborhood. This is what they are experiencing in many places around the world: and that is, both real out of control fires as well as out of control words produced by out of control tongues.
The point that James is making is about our tongues and how left unguarded they can cause more harm than we can repair. This is especially true today where lives are ruined because someone “posted” something said by a person years ago on a social media platform. I have witnessed sports journalist fired because of some statement they said which was often taken out of context, or was their own entitled opinion. The opinion a person had years ago may not be the opinion they have today. Hopefully, we all evolve over time. What our tongues have expressed in the past may not be what we feel today. We should be asking people where they are now, not where they were then.
To the point James is making, we can’t be too careful about what we say, privately or publicly. The line between private and public today may be blurred by re-sent or forwarded emails, and by what was thought to be fun videos. These are what small fires look like today that can also make people lose all they have, except for the mercy of God.
James also talks about mistakes in today’s reading. I teach. And I’m here to tell you, we teachers also make mistakes. The real test of the tongue is in what was intended. If love and respect and decency was the intent, then it will come to light. This is why the tongue must be well guarded. The rule I try to keep is, if I don’t say it or do it from love, then try not to say it or do it at all. It may be better to take it to the dump rather than burn it.
Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine, Russia, and our schools
As we listen to what the Spirit of God is saying to us, let us live to love and serve, and to teach others to love and serve, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John
onewhoponders 