8/8 Daily in the Word

As Fast as Lightning
James 3:4-6

Better to keep your mouth shut and be thought a fool than to open it and remove all doubt.-Abraham Lincoln

A man working in the produce department was asked by a lady if she could buy half a head of lettuce. He replied, "Half of a head? Are you serious? God grows these in whole heads and that's how we sell them!"

"You mean," she persisted, "that after all the years I've shopped here, you won't sell me half a head of lettuce?" "Look," he said, "If you like I'll ask the manager."

She indicated that would be appreciated, so the young man marched to the front of the store. "You won't believe this, but there's a lame-braided idiot of a lady back there who wants to know if she can buy half a head of lettuce." He noticed the manager gesturing, and turned around to see the lady standing behind him, obviously having followed him to the front of the store. "And this nice lady was wondering if she could buy the other half" he concluded.

Later in the day the manager cornered the young man and said, "That was the finest example of thinking on your feet I've ever seen! Where did you learn that?" "I grew up over in Riverfront County, and if you know anything about Riverfront County, you know that it's known for its great hockey teams and its ugly women." The manager's face flushed, and he interrupted, "My wife is from Riverfront County!" "And which hockey team did she play for?"

Many people today have a quick tongue. Sometimes it's needed to get you out of a jam! But with a quick tongue, also comes regrets. Have you ever said something you wish you hadn't? Have you ever wished you could take something back that you said? Letting your tongue speak freely can oftentimes get you in trouble.

As our verses today show, although the tongue is a small part of the body, it has the power to hurt or help people. Not stopping to think about what is said or simply speaking your thoughts is not how God intends your tongue to be used. God wants you to use your tongue and your speech to help others, not tear them down.

How often does your tongue get you in trouble? If you're like most people, your tongue can be hard to control sometimes! Next time you want to say something, stop. Ask yourself if it will hurt the person you're talking to or help them. Ask God to help you have power to control your tongue and use it for good.

Daily Bible Reading
Psalm 74-76 o Romans 9:16-33