TAMING THE TONGUE

James 3:8-9
8 But nobody can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who are made in the image of God. (WEB)

We may be able to control a lot of things, but one of the hardest things for us to control is our tongue. In today's Scripture reading, James tells us that we use our tongue to bring both blessings and curses. Blessings to our Heavenly Father and curses to those who were made in His image.

My prayer today is that each one of us would know the incredible value that our Father places on every person on the planet. Each person was created in His image with the intent that mankind would all reflect His glory. Though many people reject Christ and don't get to realize their God-given destiny, we still need to be careful how we speak about those who are lost. No matter what their present spiritual condition is, they still reflect the image of the living God simply because they were created in His likeness.

The next time somebody mistreats you or cuts you off in rush hour traffic, try blessing them instead of the alternative. Perhaps if we begin to honor people simply because they were made in the image of God, they might start to look at themselves differently and open their hearts more to the good news of Jesus Christ. May we begin to look at people through the eyes of the One who knit them together in their mother's womb.

Luke 6:35-37
35 But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing back; and your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High; for he is kind toward the unthankful and evil. 36 Therefore be merciful, even as your Father is also merciful. 37 Don’t judge, and you won’t be judged. Don’t condemn, and you won’t be condemned. Set free, and you will be set free. (WEB)