“How You All are Talking to Each Other”
I was reading an online discussion among church leaders about our upcoming national election.
This comment stopped me cold:
Makes me glad I left church,
hearing how you all are talking to each other.
Yikes.
Is there an echo in here? I recall reading something about this in that big leather-bound book —
We all stumble in many ways. Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect, able to keep their whole body in check.
When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. 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.
All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.
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. (James 3:2-10)
— Whoa now.
As some people used to say, “May the words of my mouth…be pleasing to you, O Lord.” (Psalm 19:14)
Maybe we need to start praying that again.
Amen?
joescheets 
I always felt James was lecturing me. I hope my political rhetoric is only about the veracity of the candidates and not defaming others for their opposite opinion (though I would love to change their mind). I don’t see the value of demeaning someone to try to change their mind. It is like my oldest child who has disowned me months ago, who decided she wanted to undo it, but proceeded to chastise me and say hurtful things as her opening. I didn’t take it well. I regret that and I regret her re-disowning me. It is sad, but many of her behaviors resemble the relative who had/raised her most of the time in her developing years while I worked and a difficult pregnancy arose.
I am putting a full re-read of James on my to-do list!
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That should read, “James was lecturing me personally.”
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