From James 3:5-6:  “How great a forest is set ablaze by a small fire!   And the tongue is a fire.  The tongue is placed among our members as a world of iniquity; it stains the whole body, sets on fire the cycle of nature, and is itself set on fire by hell.”

Children sometimes hearing these words

Sticks and stones may break someone’s bones

But, cruel words shall not hurt thee

Sadly, words can harm like thrown stones

Taming his rough tongue, mankind fails

Harsh words lash out, crushing others

Steers life toward ominous clouds

Disrespecting earthly brothers

Mothers teaching, “Now bite your tongue”

How often must we all forget?

Allowing words to run amuck

Their cold misdeeds, sin’s rising debt

Practice daily, Christ’s “Golden Rule”

Taming tongue, words chosen rightly

No longer curse, but life’s blessing

Words count, so use them politely

From James 3:10-12:  “From the same mouth come blessing and cursing.  My brothers and sisters, this ought not to be so.  Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and brackish water?  Can a fig tree, my brothers and sisters, yield olives, or a grapevine figs?  No more can salt water yield fresh.”