Watch that Fiery Tongue! – The Kingdom Curriculum XII (3)

Watch that Fiery Tongue!

“You shall not steal.” Exodus 20:15; Deuteronomy 5:19

“If fire breaks out and catches in thorns so that the stacked grain or the standing grain or the field is consumed, he who started the fire shall make full restitution.” Exodus 22:6

Beware the fire of the tongue.

One of the principles embedded in this statute is that we should take all care and caution, before we launch out in some venture, to ensure, to the best of our ability, that any harmful effects from what we’re planning should be avoided. Counties and municipalities are good at thinking about such things for us. So, if we’re planning to build a new home, there are codes to follow, and certain measures must be taken to ensure that we don’t erode the ground, pollute the watershed, and harm the creation “downstream” as it were. If, in my automobile, I am responsible for damaging yours, or anything else of your property, governments require that I have insurance to allow you to recover your loss. All such laws are good and useful and reflect the wisdom of God encoded in His Law.

If only we could learn to apply this principle in the everyday realm, for example, in how we use our tongues. James reminded us that the tongue is a raging fire, and can quickly get out of control and do much devastation (Jms. 3:5, 6). We should keep this teaching in mind before we “strike up a fire” with our tongues, lest we “steal” the reputation or wellbeing of our neighbor.

I doubt we would be so critical of others, so disparaging of our employers or political office-holders, or so ready to pass on gossip, if we would just pause to consider how the words we speak have the potential to do harm to others. And when things get heated on the home front, we need to keep in mind James’ warning, lest we scorch our spouse or children unintentionally. For if we do, we shall surely have stolen their shalom, and we’ll have to make restitution.

How can we use the Law of God to make wise ethical choices? Order your copy of The Ground for Christian Ethics today. Click on www.MyParuchia.com, then click Publications, Waxed Tablet.

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In the Gates is a devotional series on the Law of God by Rev. T.M. Moore.

T.M. Moore is editor of the Worldview Church. He serves as dean of the Centurions Program of the Wilberforce Forum and principal of The Fellowship of Ailbe, a spiritual fellowship in the Celtic Christian tradition. He is the author or editor of twenty books, and has contributed chapters to four others. His essays, reviews, articles, papers, and poetry have appeared in dozens of national and international journals, and on a wide range of websites. His most recent books are The Ailbe Psalter and The Ground for Christian Ethics (Waxed Tablet).

Scripture quotations in this article are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, (c) copyright 2001,2007 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Editor’s note: The use of a translation other than the Authorised Version in an article does not constitute an endorsement in whole or in part by The Christian Observer.