This is another passage that no matter how many times I read it, stops me in my tracks and greives my heart, causes me to repent and and God for the grace to honor Him better.
With it (our tongue) we curse men, which are made after the image of God. Blessings to God, curses to those whom He created in His likeness.
This is not talking about believers. This is talking about...everyone. All lives. All persons. No matter their religion, background, lifestyle choices or political affiliations, are all made in the likeness of God. We see this played out in our lives every day. Sitting doing quiet time in the morning and then signing onto social media... and within 3 comments of reading.. well we have some serious thoughts on that one. We might not say them even, but God knows our thoughts, He knows our hearts. We pray for our children and then can tear them down. We spout that we love our spouses but then can be disrespectful, selfish and vile towards them. Tongues can be life destroying weapons.
James is warning us again and again. The clerk at the grocery store, who is exhausted and wants to go home, the high schooler with the attitude, the woman waiting in line at planned parenthood, the neighbor next to you with the offensive political signs, the person in church who you try to dodge, the homeless man asking for money...image bears of the King. Although they might not all be believers they are all created in His likeness. 1 Peter 2:17 says to honor all men. This does not mean you have to agree, or be in compliance with, or sympathetic towards or tolerant of their own sin or grievous acts or choices. But it does mean you need to distribute kindness freely, because they all all lives created by God.
We can not be pro-life only in our political stance. A life matters at all times. We need to carry the hope of Jesus Christ to all through our language. We need to be as we read yesterday, seasoned with salt. What good is it sisters if we lose are saltiness? Matthew 5:13 says what good is it, if it loses its flavor? It will be thrown out.
We must not allow our witness to be thrown out because of our selective kindness. We must not be blesser of God and a curser of man. As James asks... can a fountain produce both fresh and salt water? In a broken world; be the fountain that offers the best water- living water- to all who come to drink from your well <3
Worship for today: How Sweet the Name
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