Loose lips sink ships.
A slogan that came into use during WWII. It was meant to limit soldiers into giving away important information. Another way of saying it is ‘careless talk costs lives’.
While most of us today do not operate under such secrecy this slogan has a ring of truth to it. What damage do loose lips cause today?
Our reading from James this week looks at just this issue. James writes about the powerful and potentially destructive power of the tongue. That is the words that proceed from our mouths have the potential to be very damaging. How often do we say something without thinking, only to hurt someone with our careless words?
How often are our words ripped from their context, turned around and used against us?
Words have the power to build, to share ideas. However, they also have the power to tear down and create barriers.
I am reminded of the words from Psalm 19, “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.”
Text: James 3: 1-12
Questions for Sunday:
- What does James compare our tongues to in our passage?
- Consider this passage with the others we have studied from James, how can empty words hurt the cause of Christ?
Prayer for Sunday:
Gracious God, may the words my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable to you for you are my rock and my redeemer. Amen.