Building on yesterday’s post about our Senior class and our trip together, I wanted to share with you one particular thought I had while spending time in James. I was sitting right next to this:
It was about 30+ feet tall in my estimation. It was a beautiful water fall. It was found right along the Hawk Falls trail. We stopped here for our first reading break. I got to James 3 and I read verse 11 and I was just struck again by the simplicity of this illustration yet the depth of it’s intended meaning!
This waterfall was nothing but crisp, cold, crystal clear, fresh water. I expected nothing else to come from it. Had it been hot, that would have been weird. Even weirder would be if it was hot and cold alternating at random times! That would just blow me away. (It’s like when your in the shower and someone flushes the toilet, and then the washer is filling, as well as the dishwasher doing it’s thing… You never know what kind of water you’ll get)
I would be surprised if that waterfall produced anything but that crisp cold water.
Are people surprised when your mouth utters both bitter speak and crystal clear language? Or are we so clear that people can depend on us for encouraging, edifying, clean, Godly language? James warns us about the danger of our language… “With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God; from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things out not to be this way.” James 3:9-10
Are you consistent? Or do you tend to oscillate between bitter language and clean fresh talk?
Just a thought…
~Peter
5 Comments
What a beautiful and appropriate analogy and Gentle reminder to be consistent in our character and speech so that others would be surprised if we “spew.” This will be printed and posted as a reminder and prayer
Wow, thanks for that, Peter. Makes me want to be consistent.
Believe me, I want to be consistent too… I’m right there with you guys!
OK…since you stated it twice today! I’m generally more quiet and patient and silent when something comes my way that could cause spewing. However, I would be in complete denial if I said I never spew. It happens and while I’m thankful it is rare…and more often than not in my very private space (i.e. my car with no passengers), it is still unwarranted and why this particular analogy hit close to home.
I appreciate your honesty Beth! It is so true… some of the hardest times to be consistent are when no one else is around!