James 3

Daily Devotional from James 3--

Verse 5

How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire!

In the fall of 2017, a 15-year-old boy was lighting some firecrackers and accidentally sparked a wildfire that destroyed 50,000 acres along the Columbia River Gorge. It burned for more than 3 months before it was fully contained. And, more than 6 months later, the fires were still found to be smoldering. Such a small cause produced such a devastating effect. The infamous Eagle Creek Fire is the perfect example of the power of the tongue.

James warns us that a flare of anger, a flicker of gossip, a flash of deceit, can take hold, and oh, the damage the words can inflict. A damage that exceeds anything that was ever anticipated. Somebody over there just lighting firecrackers, just popping off at the mouth, and little did they know reputations and relationships – that took a lifetime to build – could go up in smoke in a matter of moments. Beware of the power of the tongue.

Demetrius Rogers