A Two Edged Sword.

by R. Douglass Mahaffey     

     In James 3, the scripture talks about the strongest and most effective muscle in the body, the tongue. James actually referred to it as a "two edged sword." He goes on to say that one who can briddle his tongue, or not offend the Spirit by word, is a perfect man.
     The perfect man that James is refering to isn't the same kind of perfection as Jesus had, because all have sinned and have separation from God. James is refering to a person who is complete in their Christian walk. That person still has sin in their life because of the sinful nature that we have inherited from Adam.
     
     What separates them from most people, spiritually, is that they have grown in Christ to the point where they have learned to control their tongue. James writes that when a person is able to control the tongue, that controlling the rest of the members of their body is easy.
     
     Once that has been accomplished in life, walking in spirit and in truth becomes easier as well. But beware, as Jesus told his disciples, stay alert and in constant spirit of prayer, so that you do not fall into temptation. Jesus said that the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.
     
     I used to volunteer for a community theater in Houston in 2008. The president of the theater board was a real harsh person. One would think that she would treat people with a bit of professional kindness if she wanted the patrons to return and continue supporting the theater.

     I was cast for a part one summer just after submitting my membership in the theater. On media night, the photographer that the theater had used for years made a tongue in cheek remark about the hard-hearted president. The comment was something to the effect that "she had a heart of gold, but you would never see it."
    
     What a sad legacy for someone to leave behind in this life that is but a vapor; here but for a season, then gone tomorrow like a vapor. When we get so set in our ways that people don't even want to be around us, how effective of a soul winner can we be?
     
     When the great commission given to man by Jesus, during His ascention, was to go into all the world and make disciples of all men, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, to do that, we need to love people and engage them to share Christ with them. How easy is it to win them if we can't love them? Love is a verb... so is hate. God is love. I encourage whomever reads this article to choose love, and choose God as well.

R. Douglass Mahaffey - Founder and Publisher of The Wise Conservative.