A Spark of Fire

On October 29, 2007, a spark of fire quickly grew into a full-blown 500-acre forest fire in the An-geles National Forest of Southern California. During the same time period, additional fires broke out in various parts of Southern California from Malibu, Orange County, San Diego, and all the way to the border of Mexico. Entire houses burned down to the ground in a matter of minutes. In the end, 14 people lost their lives, nearly 2,000 homes were destroyed, and billions of dollars in damage was left in the aftermath of the wildfires. Terrible loss and destruction came from just tiny sparks of fire.
The words we say can be similar to fire. Our speech, our tongue, our small conversation, can also ignite terrible damage. Cursings and blessings all come from our words. A small bit in a horse’s mouth controls their whole body, a very small helm turns a whole ship in another direction; and, our tongue controls the whole course of our lives.
“Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell” (James 3:5,6).
By one word, we could be condemned or declared innocent. A word begins gossip, evil surmising, deception and a host of all evils. “Death and life are in the power of the tongue…” (Prov. 18:21).
We should choose our words carefully and consider their results before speaking. We could save much unnecessary trouble and heartache by choosing only words that would encourage and uplift others. “Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles” (Prov. 21:23). “For he that will love life and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile” (I Pet. 3:10).
Our daily life and future will be much happier and blessed if we remember to choose our words wisely. In the final scenes of the movie, “Ever After,” the queen says, “Choose your words wisely, for they may be your last!”
Cynthia Ly Lan Nguyen