How much time to we spend thinking about talking? We plan beforehand what we're going to say on a date, or a job-interview, or trying to resolve conflict with a friend. We intuitively know the power of words in these and other situations and we either plan our words ahead of time or review them after the fact.

But, don't we also spend a great deal of time thinking about other people's words? In fact, an offhand comment by a coworker or friend can mean that we're going to spend a good part of the day dissecting their meaning. And, we all know that a hurtful word from a parent or even a friend during childhood can mark us permanently.

Words: movements of air formed by our vocal chords and tongue are so powerful, to wound and to heal.

This is why we're taking a week to look at the tongue as an issue of spiritual formation. Because we can wield our words for either good or evil, we can choose to heal or harm other people. And, as we look at our passage in James, we'll see that our words have a formative power themselves - upon us. They both reveal and form our character.

I hope you'll join us this Sunday.

Brian