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The tongue

In James, it says that the tongue is like the spark that can start a forest fire. It guides our whole body. It's like the bit that tells the horse where to go.

Hmmm...

When I take that scripture and apply it to myself, it is so gravely humbling to realize the gravity and importance of self control. I have made many mistakes over the years and said things I shouldn't have said--and wish truly that I hadn't. I get tied up in knots and tears when I realize I have opened my mouth and put my foot in it!

But, at this moment, I have thought of this scripture and a person that I know and am concerned for. The realization that his tongue is guiding his actions, his heart, and essentially who is--make his actions look different somehow. Tonight I am grieving for this and the consequences of this and praying.

Over the past month, I have come to realize--I'm not sure if I've written about this--many reasons why Jesus tells us to take the plank out of our own eye before trying to take the speck out of our brothers. One reason I discovered this month is that in taking out the plank first, we develop compassion for our brother/sister in Christ with the speck in their eye. And when we go to try and take that speck out, we go humbly being fully aware of our own frailties.

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