D-Words and T-Words

James 3:7-12  ⁷All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, ⁸but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. ⁹With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. ¹⁰Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. ¹¹Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? ¹²My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.

Years ago we had a little dachshund, and with some embarrassment I admit that our miniature dachshund, Flea, reduced conversation in our household to a system of code talking.  For example, there were specific D-words and T-words.  Flea’s ears would droop with disappointment to hear “Doodle,” meaning time to go outside.  However “Treat” was a word that always resulted in happy yipping and tail-wagging. 

As it was in Flea’s world, so it is in the human world.  Each day we have opportunity to utter words—either to build one another up, or hurt one another.  Our text for today reminds us how difficult it is to tame our tongue.  I am reminded of a quote by Wentworth Dillon in Art of Poetry, “Words once spoke can never be recall’d.”  We must choose our words carefully.

Gracious Heavenly Father, our LORD God Almighty,

Soften our hearts, and in so doing, soften our words.  Let our words encourage and lift up one another, spurring us on to do good work, and all the more as we await your soon return.

In the Name of Jesus Christ, our LORD and Savior, Amen.

 

The devotion D-Words and T-Words was originally written for Tuesday, January 10, 2012; for Maranatha Devotional Guide, an Advent Christian Publication https://acgc.us   As the original author of this devotion, I reserve the right to update and share it on my current devotional blog Write From My Heart at https://writefrommyheartblog.blogspot.com

Email: Dotty Willmon, writefrommyheartblog@gmail.com

Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®, Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.