I used to be the type of person that would get in little digs with people every now and then in conversation. I would say something sarcastic that was meant to get a laugh, but what I never realized was how offensive it was to the victim and that I was trying to seek my own glory at the expense of insulting the victim. This came to a head one day when my father-in-law exploded at me for something I had said, but I have a feeling that it wasn’t that one thing I said that upset him but an overall pattern over years that finally upset him. As they say, it was bleeding to death by a million pin pricks, or as mentioned here, it only takes a lit match to start a forest fire.
A mosquito is a tiny insect—but its potential for devastation is huge. When I was in the 5th grade, I was bitten by mosquitoes on both of my knees. The bites became infected and deteriorated into a threatening case of blood poisoning. For over a month, I was pricked repeatedly with penicillin shots, and my knees had to be lanced and drained twice daily to remove the infection. It was excruciatingly painful and quite terrifying for a 10-year-old kid. To this day, I carry scars on my knees from the numerous lancings. All because of something as tiny as a mosquito.
James, the half-brother of Jesus, warns us of another little thing that can also be very destructive. He says that even though the tongue is little, it boasts great things. It’s like a small spark that sets a great forest on fire (3:5). Although the tongue is small, there is nothing small about the damage it can do. Words carry with them the power of healing or a destructive capacity far greater than the poison of any mosquito bite.
It is essential that we use our words with great wisdom and care. Consider carefully the words you choose. Will they be seasoned with the balm of grace or with the poison of anger?
