The Power of the Tongue

Perhaps one reason that Christians are not known for a distinctive way of life on the internet is that we have overlooked the importance of the tongue. For instance, in my childhood, there was a common saying: "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me!"

It was a bold way to let a bully know that their taunting was ineffective. But unfortunately, it was false. And neither was it that effective!

The truth is that words—or even silence—can deeply wound us. When we speak, we need to understand that we are playing with fire.

When was the last time you thought through the power of your words?

If an in-person fight can cause damage, what about a fight on social media, where our words can linger for years or decades?

In today's lesson, we are going to consider how James 3:5-12 demonstrates the significance of this question.