– Today’s Community Scripture – 8/19/2025 Don’t be in any rush to become a teacher, my friends. Teaching is highly responsible work. Teachers are held to the strictest standards. And none of us is perfectly qualified. We get it wrong nearly every time we open our mouths. If you could find someone whose speech was perfectly true, you’d have a perfect person, in perfect control of life. A bit in the mouth of a horse controls the whole horse. A small rudder on a huge ship in the hands of a skilled captain sets a course in the face of the strongest winds. A word out of your mouth may seem of no account, but it can accomplish nearly anything—or destroy it! It only takes a spark, remember, to set off a forest fire. A careless or wrongly placed word out of your mouth can do that. By our speech we can ruin the world, turn harmony to chaos, throw mud on a reputation, send the whole world up in smoke and go up in smoke with it, smoke right from the pit of hell. This is scary: You can tame a tiger, but you can’t tame a tongue—it’s never been done. The tongue runs wild, a wanton killer. With our tongues we bless God our Father; with the same tongues we curse the very men and women he made in his image. Curses and blessings out of the same mouth! My friends, this can’t go on. A spring doesn’t gush fresh water one day and brackish the next, does it? Apple trees don’t bear strawberries, do they? Raspberry bushes don’t bear apples, do they? You’re not going to dip into a polluted mud hole and get a cup of clear, cool water, are you? James 3:1–12 (MSG) – Key Verse -
With our tongues we bless God our Father; with the same tongues we curse the very men and women he made in his image. Curses and blessings out of the same mouth! My friends, this can’t go on. James 3:9–10 (MSG) – Reflection: The key verse from James that I chose reminds us how powerful our words are and how easily they can contradict our faith. It’s striking to think that the same tongue we use to praise God can also be used to hurt other people who are made in His image. That contradiction shows a deep need for reflection and change. If we truly honor God, our speech should reflect His love, not just in worship but in how we treat others. This passage challenges us to be consistent in our words, letting kindness and respect flow from our mouths at all times. It’s a call to align our hearts with our speech, because what we say reveals what’s inside. – Where do we go from here? Knowing the power of our tongues, we can’t afford to start each day casually. Before we step into the world, whether it’s the office, the grocery store, or a tough meeting, we need to pause and check our hearts. Our words carry weight, and they either build or break. If we’re blessing God in one breath, we shouldn’t be tearing down His creation in the next. So, the move forward is intentional: we tame the tongue by first tuning our spirit. That means starting the day with prayer, reflection, and a commitment to speak life. It’s not just about avoiding harsh words, it’s about choosing words that reflect who we say we are in Christ. Let’s lead with integrity, speak with grace, and make sure our mouths match our mission. – Our Prayer for Today Father, thank You for the gift of speech and the power of words. Help us to use our tongues wisely today to speak truth with love, to be honest without being harsh, and to build up rather than tear down. Remind us that every person we speak to is made in Your image, and our words should reflect that. Teach us to pause before we speak, to listen with grace, and to respond with wisdom. Let our mouths be a source of blessing, not pain. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
When You Open Your Mouth
