RadSample

We've all been in situations where we've exchanged insults with someone, right? Maybe it even happened earlier today! Whether in fun or in anger, we all know how to use words like weapons. We use them to gossip, start rumors, criticize, mock, tease, or insult people — and it's probably easy to remember some of the hurtful things people have said to you over the years. Whether it was a family member, friend, bully, or someone on the internet, hurtful words stay with us. 

So what do we do when we really want to use our words like weapons? One of Jesus' followers (and his brother), James, once used the analogy that our words are like tiny sparks that can cause devastating forest fires — they're small but capable of huge damage. But if you're committed to trying to love people as Jesus does, James' simple advice has the power to make a radical difference: radical people watch their words.

Have you ever said something you wanted to take back? How did you feel? How do you think the person you were addressing felt?