When partnering with your family to know, love, and follow Jesus, we strive to create and share content filtered by the Head-Heart-Hands model.
Head: the knowledge of God and His Word | Heart: the personal connection from scripture | Hands: a missional mindset
HEAD (James 3:5)
This week, we’ve thought about what it means to know, love, and follow Jesus like a hero of the faith. We’ve been reminded that we can trust God no matter what, and trusting that God always loves us and is always with us helps us love others even when it's hard. We’ve talked about how important what we say we believe about God matches what we do in our everyday lives.
Today, James reminds us that our words have great power, and because of this, we have a big responsibility to use our words wisely and kindly. This can be challenging! In fact, James says that training our mouths to speak wisely and kindly may be the hardest thing we ever do as Jesus followers. James says that while the mouth is just a small part of the body —it has a lot of power. He uses a few pictures to help us understand the power of our words and how challenging it can be to train ourselves to use our words in ways that build up rather than tear others down. In verse 5, he uses the image of fire. Just like fire can be both helpful and dangerous, our words have power to bring warmth or cause harm.
HEART
Our family loves to go camping, especially in the fall. I can only think of a few things I love more than sitting around a cozy campfire on a cold night in the mountains with my family. I love the smokey smell of the fire, the crackling sound of the wood, the way a fire warms my cheeks and lights up the night around us. Gray and Judah are very careful to build a safe campfire and they always take the time to put it out completely when we pack up for the day. This is because when fire is not contained, even a little stray spark can destroy a whole forest! Our words are like this!
Our words can encourage and spark hope or bring to light a fresh idea or new perspective. Even true words that may be hard for someone to hear (when spoken in a loving way) can also help someone we care about think about their own words or actions. This is kind and helpful.
On the flip side, our words can be as devastating as a forest fire. They can harm others and destroy relationships. When we use our words in anger or jealousy or arrogance, they hurt like a wildfire. Gossip, bullying —even true words spoken in unloving ways can hurt others. I want my words to bring warmth and light like a campfire. I never want my words to hurt and destroy like a forest fire!
I have learned that I choose my words more wisely when I remember the other good advice James gave us on Wednesday —be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to become angry —do you remember your signals?
HANDS
Our words have great power, just like fire. Take a quiet moment to think about the words you have spoken in the last couple of days. Have they been more like a warm campfire or raging forest fire? Is there anyone in your family or someone at school you might need to talk with—someone you may need to apologize to?
There was a forest fire in the Smokey Mountains a few years ago. It was started by two young kiddos playing with matches. The fire destroyed a lot, but we were there recently and you know what I saw? New growth (new trees and flowers, buildings, and homes) where things had been destroyed in the fire. When we go back to the people we have hurt with our words, sincerely apologize, and ask their forgiveness —often—there can be new life in that friendship! You can begin to rebuild your relationship with the person you’ve hurt. Words are powerful like that!
Prayer: Dear God, thank You for the gift of Your Word. Help us listen to Your Word and give us the courage to do it (even when it feels hard!) Give us courage to seek forgiveness from those our words have hurt. Help us see people around us who need encouraging words and remind us to use our words wisely in challenging moments with our friends and family.