November 17, 2023 - James 3

James writes, once again, about the tongue and the difficulty we have in taming it. With the same mouth, we can curse others wrongly, the tongue being “a restless evil, full of deadly poison” (3:8). With the same tongue, “We bless our Lord and Father . . . From the same mouth come blessing and cursing” (3:10). James writes that these things must not be and, so he asks, “Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water” (3:11-12). Rather, by our good conduct, we will show that we are of God (3:13).

We are back to our duck illustration, aren’t we? If it walks like a duck, if it looks like a duck, if it quacks like a duck, it’s a duck! If one slanders and bites with the tongue, if one curses others, always finding nothing but fault, pouring out restless evil, the owner of that tongue is certainly not one who knows the Lord and “the meekness of wisdom” (3:3). With gracious and kind and compassionate (yes, firmly when necessary) words does the child of God speak.

Make me a channel of your peace:

Where there is hatred, let me bring your love;

where there is injury, your healing power,

and where there’s doubt, true faith in you.

Make me a channel of your peace:

where there’s despair in life let me bring hope;

Where there is darkness, only light,

and where there’s sadness, ever joy. -- St. Francis of Assisi (12th & 13th centuries)