Word:

With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water. (James 3:9-12)

Meditation Thought: James said a spring cannot produce both fresh and salt water. We cannot allow critical, negative, hurtful speech from our mouths, and then offer acceptable praise and worship to God. Let us speak positively so our worship will be acceptable.

Prayer: Father, You who made the fresh water streams and the salt water oceans, help us realize that our world has plenty of negative speakers — just as it has plenty of salt water in the oceans. Men can die of thirst in the middle of an ocean of salter water — You made us dependent on fresh water for our very existence. May we realize our spirits are also dependent on the fresh water of positive speech. Help our mouths be the springs of living water in the form of our positive speech. May we bring life to the world through the words we speak. In the name of the One who is the Living Water, Amen.