ICS Daily Devotions
Bitter Water
James 3:5-6 (NKJV) Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things. See how great a forest a little fire kindles! And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell.
James could not emphasize enough the destructive power of our words if we do not bridle our tongues. He said that the tongue is a fire that brings a world of iniquity or sin. We have listened to news reports of how a small spark can set the whole forest on fire during summers in Australia and the USA. The fires destroyed everything along their paths and many firemen lost their lives to them. The words that we speak if we are not careful, can bring about deadly poison, destruction and unruly evil in a relationship.
James 3:11 (NKJV) Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening?
James argued that fresh water and bitter water should not be flowing out from the same spring! He said with conviction that the same mouth should not speak blessings and curses at the same time.
What is bitter water? It is referring to those words that come out of a person who is living in bitterness. The person has strong unrelenting hostility or resentment. It can be a person who has been rejected or misunderstood and is prickly, moody, negative and never good company. The mere mention of a certain other person, company, or event will trigger this person to go off on some old rant about how he/she was mistreated. These people carry baggage from certain experiences or encounters in their life. Insecurity will also cause them to speak and react in a different manner. They will vent their anger and frustration on others.
Our words will be very unkind when we harbor resentment, bitterness and unforgiveness in our soul especially when an old wound is opened. It triggers anger and vindictiveness to flow out of our mouth due to past experiences that we had with others. This is seldom a pleasant sight.
We live in a culture that we think we are entitled to say what we want, completely free from any accountability or repercussions. However, we need the Holy Spirit’s help to enable us to discard nasty old words that should not be a part of our vocabulary. We need to renew our minds so that we are able to have self-control and a redeemed personality.
We will react from our soul where the emotions and the flesh are located. We will respond and react in accordance to the old man unless we renew our minds with the word of God. The Bible teaches us to put on the new man who is made in righteousness and holiness (Ephesians 4:24). Therefore, let us not have both bitter and fresh water flowing out of the same spring. We now have a new spring in our heart which is the new creation that has the nature of God. Let this new spring inside us flow out of us instead.
Sermon Series: Ouch! It Hurts!
