Smokey the Bear in Oven Mitts

Why are my oven mitts also an inch too short when I use them? I have expert skills when it comes to burning myself in the kitchen. I’m running cold water over my finger in the sink before I can figure out what went wrong. The Lord created our bodies with automatic defense mechanisms such as pulling your hand away when it comes into contact with a hot surface. I don’t stand there and think to myself, “Hey Renae, the knuckle of your thumb has reached an unbearable temperature since it has come into contact with the oven rack. Let’s move our hand rapidly away from this heat.” If I had to think through that motion, I would be blistered every time. That reaction saves my skin additional pain.

Unfortunately, not all of our defensive reactions prevent pain. There’s always that tongue of ours that James 3 warns us about. James tells us it’s a restless evil, full of poison, able to set the largest of forests on fire.

Better put Smokey the Bear on high alert because these tongues of our are deadly. We don’t need microphones, megaphones, or large platforms, just a small kindling will do. A harsh word in anger or frustrated complaint when patience is worn thin.

James 3:2 says, “If anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a mature man who is also able to control his whole body.”

I want a defining characteristic of me to be mature. I believe maturity and wisdom coexist together.

As Smokey would say, “The way to prevent forest fires – is you.” (Also check out this previous blog, Stop. Drop. Roll. for three pointers on watching your words).

We need to first realize the inherit danger our tongue possesses. We then need to take precautionary methods to not kindle the flames by taking all our thoughts captive and not dwelling on the anger, resentment, or embarrassment that so frequently causes us to speak rashly. If we ask the Holy Spirit for help and are attentive to His voice, He will point out the times in our lives that we are most susceptible to using our tongues without thinking.

Most of this exercise starts with closing our mouths. Not voicing every thought or spending every two cents of our opinions.