James 3:1-12
Psalm 116:1-8
Children's Sermon
James writes: "Who can tame the tongue--a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse those who are made in the likeness of God."
This picture by Keith Haring is a very vivid description of the evil we can do with our tongues, with the words we say.
Ten Commandments, unnumbered,
from Art in the Christian Tradition,
a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN.
http://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=55144
[retrieved October 4, 2012].
Words are such an important part of our Christian lives and vocations. The things we say and the things we don't say can cause hurt and harm. Or our words can bring hope and kindness and creativity into the world. Our words can sing praise to God.
What would that painting look like? A painting where our words were praising God?
From today's Psalm:
The heavens declare the glory of God,
and the firmament shows his handiwork.
One day tells its tale to another,
and one night imparts knowledge to another.
Although they have no words or language,
and their voices are not heard.
Their sound has gone out into all lands,
and their message to the ends of the world.
