What causes fights and quarrels among you?  James 4:1

Everyday, we find ourselves engaged in various forms of combat. One of which is verbal conflict. And if we’re not careful, when battling through those tough conversations, it can turn into a full-blown war.  Have you heard of the military weapon called the ‘smart bomb‘? It’s a bomb that is designed to hit a specific target.  Well, when we find ourselves immersed in verbal battles with people in our lives, so often our weapon of choice is a ‘dumb bomb’. We launch those vocal missiles to assassinate someone’s character or destroy their self-esteem. But unlike the smart bomb the military uses, our dumb bombs explode and not only damage the person we’re attacking, but also they end up damaging us.  God doesn’t want quarreling, back-biting or fighting to be part of our verbal arsenal. Instead, He wants us to use words that build others up. Life is too short for fussing and fighting. Instead, look for ways to bring peace.

Dear God, It can be so easy to launch verbal missiles at people I disagree with. Help me in those situations to create peace and understanding rather than dissention and destruction. Help me to communicate only words that will point others to You. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.