Tongues on Fire
These past weeks have shown us – if we didn’t realize – what happens when fire comes sweeping through a community. For some, this is the first up-close and personal look of the power…and the cost…of fire.
Fire is a big deal to me, ever since I watched our RV burn years ago, just after we scrambled out of it to the side of the freeway. It’s not just that fire and smoke destroyed it – and many things in it – it’s more what happened inside me as I responded to it. The pain and trauma of that moment has long gone, but during it I felt a sense of danger, harm and fear.
Trauma can occur when we face a perceived threat or dangerous situation. It is an unconscious reaction to bad things that are happening or have happened. Depending on our different personal experiences, history, and personality, the same event can provoke different reactions within each of us. It could be loss, grief, numbness, fear, confusion, disorientation…or some combination of these things. And the intensity of these responses within us can range from “slight” to “major.”
Hearing of the nearby fires…looking outside at smoke-filled skies for nearly two weeks…reading stories of those who had to flee from the flames and sometimes returned home to a pile of ashes and rubble…caught my attention.Even as simply a witness, a by-stander, my emotions were stirred. I felt the pain of loss for some many people who had been “burned” – literally and metaphorically – by the raging fires.
And all of this was running through my mind when I opened my Bible the other day and read James 3:1-12.
James is talking about how our tongues can be conduits of fire, which is a vivid metaphor. The flick of the tongue, he says, can unleash a world of evil full of deadly poison. It is restless and corrupting, attacking like a virulent wind-sweeping forest fire (verse 5).
I thought about that image, and realized how accurate James is. The mean or sharp word - the word that attacks the character, religion, or political perspective of another person – weakens and destroys.
Fire causes trauma to our bodies and souls; tongues on fire also provoke a trauma-filled response.
As I read things on social media these days, and as I interact with others, I see the destructive nature of “tongues on fire” and I am grieved. We all have come to our own perspectives of what’s right or true and yet, at the same time, can we acknowledge that we are broken people and may not have it all exactly right?
Can we treat people with respect, recognizing that they – like us – have come to their different views honestly and sincerely?
Can we can disagree without trying to set each other aflame?
Here’s a thought: how about if we lean on the Holy Spirit? After all, part of his fruit in our lives is the gift of self-control. So when we yield to the Spirit, we’re less likely to fly off the handle at those we disagree with. His fruit in our lives also brings us the gifts of peace, and patience, and kindness. When these qualities show up in our character, they can help douse our tongues when they are aflame.
Then we can extend the healing balm of grace to our friends and to strangers. To those in our churches and communities. Oh, how our world needs to eel the touch of grace and kindness from followers of Jesus, especially in this time of community grief and loss.
Will you join me in humbling ourselves before God? If our words have not been grace-filled, then let’s take the opportunity to repent.
Let’s douse our verbal fires and bring the peace of God to our world.
Fire is a big deal to me, ever since I watched our RV burn years ago, just after we scrambled out of it to the side of the freeway. It’s not just that fire and smoke destroyed it – and many things in it – it’s more what happened inside me as I responded to it. The pain and trauma of that moment has long gone, but during it I felt a sense of danger, harm and fear.
Trauma can occur when we face a perceived threat or dangerous situation. It is an unconscious reaction to bad things that are happening or have happened. Depending on our different personal experiences, history, and personality, the same event can provoke different reactions within each of us. It could be loss, grief, numbness, fear, confusion, disorientation…or some combination of these things. And the intensity of these responses within us can range from “slight” to “major.”
And all of this was running through my mind when I opened my Bible the other day and read James 3:1-12.
James is talking about how our tongues can be conduits of fire, which is a vivid metaphor. The flick of the tongue, he says, can unleash a world of evil full of deadly poison. It is restless and corrupting, attacking like a virulent wind-sweeping forest fire (verse 5).
I thought about that image, and realized how accurate James is. The mean or sharp word - the word that attacks the character, religion, or political perspective of another person – weakens and destroys.
Fire causes trauma to our bodies and souls; tongues on fire also provoke a trauma-filled response.
As I read things on social media these days, and as I interact with others, I see the destructive nature of “tongues on fire” and I am grieved. We all have come to our own perspectives of what’s right or true and yet, at the same time, can we acknowledge that we are broken people and may not have it all exactly right?
Can we treat people with respect, recognizing that they – like us – have come to their different views honestly and sincerely?
Can we can disagree without trying to set each other aflame?
Here’s a thought: how about if we lean on the Holy Spirit? After all, part of his fruit in our lives is the gift of self-control. So when we yield to the Spirit, we’re less likely to fly off the handle at those we disagree with. His fruit in our lives also brings us the gifts of peace, and patience, and kindness. When these qualities show up in our character, they can help douse our tongues when they are aflame.
Then we can extend the healing balm of grace to our friends and to strangers. To those in our churches and communities. Oh, how our world needs to eel the touch of grace and kindness from followers of Jesus, especially in this time of community grief and loss.
Will you join me in humbling ourselves before God? If our words have not been grace-filled, then let’s take the opportunity to repent.
Let’s douse our verbal fires and bring the peace of God to our world.
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