Walking With Christ

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, the book of James is one of my favorites.

James 3:4-5  (4)Look at the ships also:  though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs.  (5)So also the tongue is a small member, yet is boasts of great things.(ESV)

James 3:12 Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs?  Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water.(ESV)

I believe that these two verses are among the most powerful in the book of James.  The first is one that is a bottomless well of wisdom.  Anyone who knows me knows that I’m exceptionally blunt and have no filter when it comes to what I say.  If I’m thinking it, I’m speaking it.  I find anything else is a waste of time because of leaves people guessing at what my intentions are and where I stand on a given issue.  That’s a waste of time.  It regularly causes me problems though, because I don’t always take the time to think about my delivery of these thoughts.  Remember, the power of life and death are in the tongue.  I’m always struggling to speak life into every situation rather than death.

The second verse is truly a double edged sword.  It allows for our limitations, but also calls us to know what those are.  All of the early disciples had different gifts, strengths, and weaknesses.  It was only through Christ that they were able to see the truth about who they were called, by Him, to be.  The same is true for us.  It is only through Christ that we will see our true selves.  The world will try to say that we are something different.  Something less.  The world will tell us that we are weak and afraid.  Christ reminds us of His strength that flows through us to accomplish His works.