Read James 3:1–8
Today’s Scripture: The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. James 3:6

I was visiting the used bookstores along Charing Cross Road in London,
and I remarked to a clerk that there were not as many bookstores as I
expected. “There’s a reason for that,” he replied. “One night during World
War II, the incendiary bombs hit, and the fires destroyed at least a million
books!”

On another occasion, a friend was taking my wife and me on a tour of the
beautiful forests in California, and we came to an ugly section that was
burned out. Not only was the face of nature scarred, but millions of dollars of valuable timber had been wiped out. “Somebody lit a cigarette,” my friend commented as we drove past the blackened earth.

A fire can begin with just a small spark, but it can grow to destroy a city.
Our words can start fires too. In some churches, there are members or
officers who cannot control their tongues, and the result is destruction. But when they move out of town or are replaced in office, a beautiful spirit of harmony and love often takes over.

Something to Ponder
When was the last time you started a four-alarm verbal fire of your own?
What was the issue that started it, and what were the results?