The Telephone Game — Gossip vs. Praise - Thursday
Today’s Verse
James 3:3-4
We can make a large horse go wherever we want by means of a small bit in its mouth. And a small rudder makes a huge ship turn wherever the pilot chooses to go, even though the winds are strong. (NLT)
When Brewster McLeod came to Southland as the next youth minister, he brought a way of teaching that I had never seen. Each week he would have a central idea he would want all the kids to know. To help drive that idea home, he would have some random item that, on the surface, always created more questions than answers. But soon enough Brewster would make the connection between the item he had brought and the point he was trying to make. I later learned that these random items used to help teach were called “object lessons”.
In his letter to early Jewish Christians, James had some important material he needed to cover so he decided to use object lessons. Using the relatable imagery of a horse’s bit and a ship's rudder, he drove home the point that small things can exert significant influence. Just as a small bit can determine the direction of a powerful horse and a small rudder can steer a large ship, the seemingly small tongue can change the direction of a person or organization for better (or worse). Preacher and author Warren Wiersbe points out that in order for bits and rudders to be effective, they must overcome competing influences. The strong horse doesn’t like being forced in a certain direction. And a ship's rudder has to function even with the wind and waves opposing it. Similarly, our tongues will always compete with our human nature. That nature wants to constantly drift toward the selfish. As a result, we’ll use our tongues to build ourselves up and tear others down. We’ll try to control others instead of ourselves, and we’ll always need to be right.
The only way our tongues will be controlled is if we release the reins to Jesus, and let Him steer our lives. Surrendering those things will ensure that nothing harmful leaves our mouths.
REFLECTION
Take a moment today and pray as King David did in Psalm 141:3, “Take control of what I say, O Lord, and guard my lips.” Amen.
Check out our Worship Playlist at southland.church/playlist!
