I was watching the news a few days ago and as I watched video after video of the fires overtaking parts of Los Angeles I thought how scary, my heart went out to those touched by the fires. I have been in that situation with fire on each side of a freeway in California years ago, it is scary, overwhelming and you realize just how small a person really is.
As I watched the flames and the aftermath I got to thinking how fire with all the destructiveness it causes can bring comfort, enjoyment, warmth and many other great emotions. I think of a nice warm fireplace and how wonderful it is to curl up on a cold night enjoying its warmth, the sight of flames and sound of the crackle as I read by it. Or how fun a bomb fire is to roast marshmallows over. No camping or summer evening are quite the same with out fire. Then there are the BBQ’s that bring people together, all because of fire.
Our words are just like fire, one spark can cause such destruction and get out of control with in seconds causing so much pain that even to rebuild after the inferno it can still show the scars of that fire but yet words can bring such happiness and empowerment that those feelings are also never forgotten.
I think about this even more with the holidays here. People are in a rush to have the perfect holiday. I know that my fuse can run a little short this time of year as well but I want to use that fuse to light a bomb fire that is full of happy memories instead of using it to cause a wildfire.
Proverbs 15:4
“A gentle tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness in it breaks the spirit.”
Proverbs 18:21
“Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits”
As usual your words are right to the point, very tue and most thought provoking. Thank you.