Daily Devotional for September 27, 2021
A Little Fire
As Jena stopped in the middle of the mountain trail, her friend Olivia bumped into her. “Whoa!” said Olivia. “Why did you stop?”
Jena pointed to a hillside across the valley. “Mom said we’d see a place where there had been a forest fire—and that’s it!”
“Wow!” exclaimed Olivia as the girls stared at the charred remains. When they moved on, she turned to Jena. “Did you know Blake cheated on a test and might get suspended from school?”
“Yeah. He says he didn’t do it, but who’s gonna believe that? And what about Omar? Maria thinks he stole money from her desk. He should be suspended too.”
“Want some water?” Turning, the girls saw Jena’s mom coming to join them. She held out a canteen, and they sat on a fallen log to rest.
“What caused that forest fire, Mom?” asked Jena, pointing to the hillside again. “It sure destroyed a lot of trees, didn’t it?”
“The news report said it started from a little campsite fire,” Mom replied. “When the weather is dry, just one stray spark can create a fire that quickly burns out of control.” She took a sip of water from her canteen. “Did you know the Bible calls the tongue a fire? The things we say can have the same effect as that campfire. Our words can’t destroy trees, but they can destroy friendships and damage lives. When we say unkind things, it can hurt people’s feelings and their reputations.”
“But it’s okay to say things if we know they’re true, isn’t it?” Olivia asked.
“Not necessarily,” said Mom. “While there sometimes may be a good reason to tell someone, it’s important to think about our intention in doing so. Are we repeating that information because we want to help that person or hurt them?” Mom pointed toward the hillside. “Like a tiny spark, a small bit of gossip can spread and cause a lot of harm. And having a fiery tongue doesn’t fit who we are as Christians. Jesus saved us and filled us with His love so we can build others up with our words like He does, not burn them down.”
Olivia held up her phone. “I’ll take a picture to remind myself of what a little fire—or a little gossip—can do.” -Lovella Daoust
How about you?
Have you caught yourself spreading gossip about others? Has anyone ever gossiped about you? It’s hurtful and can be very damaging, can’t it? That’s not how Jesus calls us to treat others. Don’t start fires by spreading gossip. Instead, use your words to point others to Jesus and His love.
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