Lectionary Calendar
Thursday, March 28th, 2024
Maundy Thursday
There are 3 days til Easter!
Attention!
StudyLight.org has pledged to help build churches in Uganda. Help us with that pledge and support pastors in the heart of Africa.
Click here to join the effort!

Daily Devotionals
'Every Day Light' with Selwyn Hughes
Devotional: January 15th

"The tongue has the power of life and death –" (v. 21)

For Reading and Meditation:
     Proverbs 18:15-21

We are seeing that the first step the psalmist took to save himself from falling was stopping himself from saying what was on the tip of his tongue. In other words, he took himself in hand. This is an extremely important issue. What a lot of heartache would be saved if Christians would take heed to this and learn to put a bridle on their tongues. Expressions which convey the idea that the Lord acts unjustly or unkindly, especially if they fall from the lips of men and women who have a long experience in the Christian life, are as dangerous as sparks in a timber factory. Despite his doubts, the psalmist recognised the importance of self-discipline, and that proved to be a saving virtue. People sometimes claim: "It is impossible for me to control what I say. It slips out before I realise what I've said." This is nonsense, of course, for what we say is the result of what we choose to say. Sometimes we may feel as though we have no control over what we say, but that is all it is - a feeling. Dr Lawrence Crabb, a Christian psychologist, tells us: "The loss of felt choice does not mean the loss of real choice." When you give a person "a piece of your mind", as we say, there is always a moment, albeit a split second, when you can choose to speak out or stay quiet. We cannot hide behind the excuse that our tongue is not under our control. What we do is what we choose to do. The psalmist, though beset by many doubts and difficulties, chose to control his tongue - and so can you.

Father, help me see that the things I do and say are not the result of compulsion but of choice. I am free to obey or free to disobey. Help me to use my freedom in the right way. In Jesus' Name I ask it. Amen.

AdditionalVerses
  • James 3:1-18
  • James 1:5
  • Luke 21:15
Questions to Consider
  • What does James teach about the tongue?
  • What are we to ask God for?
Subscribe …
Get the latest devotional delivered straight to your inbox every week by signing up for the "'Every Day Light' with Selwyn Hughes" subscription list. Simply provide your email address below, click on "Subscribe!", and you'll receive a confirmation email from us. Follow the instructions in the email to confirm your subscription to this list.
Meet the Author
Every Day Light is a Christian daily devotional written by Selwyn Hughes, a Welsh Christian minister and founder of the Christian ministry Crusade for World Revival (CWR). Dr. Hughes passed away in 2006 but his devotional and ministry continues on providing deep insight into God's Word every day.
adsfree-icon
Ads FreeProfile