40 Days of Words
Dr Jim Brown's TruNorth Devotional
40 Days of Words
Day 30 | OUR DUPLICITOUS TONGUES | James 3:9-10
40 Days of Words
Day 30 | OUR DUPLICITOUS TONGUES | James 3:9-10
OUR DUPLICITOUS TONGUES
James 3:9-10
“With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be.”
I like the book of James. (Of course, it was named after me, right? Well, maybe not.) But James is, in many ways, the Proverbs-like practical book of the New Testament.
This section of James 1 reminds us that EVERY person you and I meet – no matter how vile they might be – was made in the image of God, even if they don’t realize it or accept it as truth.
I like the way the TPT version expands our understanding of James 3:9-10 says:
“We use our tongue to praise God our Father] and then turn around and curse a person who was made in his very image! Out of the same mouth we pour out words of praise one minute and curses the next. My brothers and sisters, this should never be!”
The AMP version adds this: “[for we have a moral obligation to speak in a manner that reflects our fear of God and profound respect for His precepts].”
So what’s the take-away here?
As followers of Jesus, we need to remind ourselves that everyone we meet – whether we like them or not, whether we agree with them politically or not, whether they share our faith or not – is MADE in the image of God. And WE – you and I – have a moral obligation before God to always speak words that reflect our adoration and worship of Yahweh, AND his rules, precepts, and commands.
Jesus taught us to “Love the Lord your God with all your heart… and love your neighbor as yourself.” That love can start with our words.
Prayer: Lord, may everyone I meet sense something different about me and the words I speak. And may that difference be because I’m one of Your children, and I’m speaking to please YOU. Amen.
James 3:9-10
“With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be.”
I like the book of James. (Of course, it was named after me, right? Well, maybe not.) But James is, in many ways, the Proverbs-like practical book of the New Testament.
This section of James 1 reminds us that EVERY person you and I meet – no matter how vile they might be – was made in the image of God, even if they don’t realize it or accept it as truth.
I like the way the TPT version expands our understanding of James 3:9-10 says:
“We use our tongue to praise God our Father] and then turn around and curse a person who was made in his very image! Out of the same mouth we pour out words of praise one minute and curses the next. My brothers and sisters, this should never be!”
The AMP version adds this: “[for we have a moral obligation to speak in a manner that reflects our fear of God and profound respect for His precepts].”
So what’s the take-away here?
As followers of Jesus, we need to remind ourselves that everyone we meet – whether we like them or not, whether we agree with them politically or not, whether they share our faith or not – is MADE in the image of God. And WE – you and I – have a moral obligation before God to always speak words that reflect our adoration and worship of Yahweh, AND his rules, precepts, and commands.
Jesus taught us to “Love the Lord your God with all your heart… and love your neighbor as yourself.” That love can start with our words.
Prayer: Lord, may everyone I meet sense something different about me and the words I speak. And may that difference be because I’m one of Your children, and I’m speaking to please YOU. Amen.