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.  James 3:9-10

Most of us have been guilty of it at one time or another. One minute we’re sitting in church, singing praise songs, bowing our head in prayer. The next minute, we leave the parking lot and begin arguing with our spouse, yelling at the kids and cursing at other drivers.  The Scripture above reads, “My brothers, this should not be.” Whether it’s your spouse, children or a bad driver, they all have been made in the likeness of Christ. And we are called to express love to everyone, in every situation. We have all been given grace and unconditional love through God’s son, Jesus Christ, and it is our responsibility to be consistent in how we share this love with others. 

Whether we’re at church, at work, at a ballgame or driving during rush-hour traffic, we represent God. But consistently displaying God’s love through our words is not a naturally given trait. When we allow God to guide our every word, he will consistently use us to bring others to him, taking us to a whole new level of living.

Dear Lord, It can be so easy to share words of love and praise with you, only to turn around and curse out or demean the people around me. During those times, remind me that each person I see is someone who has been made in your likeness, and help me to communicate only words of love to them. In Christ’s name I pray, Amen.