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NASB | James 3:5 So also the tongue is a small part of the body, and yet it boasts of great things. ¶ See how great a forest is set aflame by such a small fire! |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | James 3:5 In the same sense, the tongue is a small part of the body, and yet it boasts of great things. See [by comparison] how great a forest is set on fire by a small spark! |
Bible Question:
In the Book of James, James mentions how a little fire sets on fire a great forest. How would James have known about forest fires? Are there areas of large forests in Israel? |
Bible Answer: Greetings dweaver! This is the verse you are asking about. James is using a physical object lesson to convey a point about the tongue, the instrument of speech. Perhaps today he might say, "just one spark of static electricity can ignite the fumes around a gas pump!" No one has to elaborate about the results of this either. I have never been to Israel, but certainly James was familiar with forests - anyway, Jesus was a carpenter! Man is not required to start a forest fire; combine combustables in a dry climate and a lightening strike and the result will be fire! I like this chapter - it is very sobering and challenging. We should all pay close attention to James' words of wisdom! It has been said "the pen is mightier than the sword." This is because words are powerful - they can wound or heal. Sadly, as James notes in verse 8, most often the tongue is full of deadly poison! How often do we say things and then regret what we have uttered? Yet once spoken, words cannot be taken back. All too often they are LONG remembered, doing even greater damage in the mind's memory than when they were first issued. Just like a spark can set a whole forest ablaze, a word carelessly spoken can bring wounds and destruction to those who hear them. Thankfully, we have the Living Word, Jesus, who is more than able to bind up the hurts we inflict upon each other with our words. Our words are powerful, but they are NOT ALL powerful! Blessings to you! mommapbs PS What do you think might be an effective "fire" extinguisher? see verses 17-18. |
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Questions and/or Subjects for James 3:5 | Author | ||
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Emmaus | ||
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dweaver | ||
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Mommapbs | ||
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hijimo | ||
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hijimo | ||
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hijimo | ||
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EdB |