2026-05-02
Jakobus 3:6 NLV
Die Bybel sê: ‘…’n Klein vuurtjie kan ‘n groot bos aan die brand steek. Die tong is ook ‘n vuur…’ (verse 5-6 NLV). Mense wat in ‘n warm klimaat woon, ken die gevaar van verwoestende bosbrande wat deur woestynwinde aangedryf word. ‘n Enkele vonk van ‘n vuurhoutjie het al baie verwoestende brande begin. Hierdie soort vuur versprei vinniger en verder as wat ons ooit kan dink, vernietig huise en besighede ter waarde van miljoene rande en laat ‘n verskroeide landskap en verwoeste lewens agter.
Hoeveel reputasies is al deur so ‘n sorgelose woord verwoes? Die impak van ons woorde versprei wyd en vinnig, veral in hierdie digitale era waarin ons leef. ‘n Woord wat getwiet word, kan binne sekondes oor die hele wêreld hertwiet word. Soos ‘n vuur, kan daardie woord buite beheer raak en onherstelbare skade aanrig. Daarom het Jakobus geskryf: ‘…geen mens kan die tong tem nie’ (vers 8 NLV).
God kan dit egter doen. ‘Maar as die Gees ons lewe beheer, is die gevolg… selfbeheersing…’ (Galasiërs 5:22-23 NLV). Die Heilige Gees kan ‘n tong wat skinderstories versprei in een wat God verheerlik, verander. Hy kan ‘n tong wat bitterheid spoeg neem en dit in een wat seën spreek, verander.
Om te skinder is om iets agter iemand se rug te sê wat jy nooit in daardie persoon se gesig sou sê nie. Om te vlei is om iets in iemand se gesig te sê wat jy nooit agter daardie persoon se rug sou sê nie. Albei is egter verkeerd. Laat ons dus saam met die Psalmdigter bid: ‘Mag die woorde van my mond… vir U aanneemlik wees…’ (Psalm 19:15 NLV).
Sielskos: Deut 5-7; Matt 6:19-34; Ps 37:8-15; Spr 11:27-29
James 3:6 NLT
The Bible says, “A tiny spark can set a great forest on fire. And… the tongue is a flame of fire” (vv. 5-6 NLT). People living in hot climates know the danger of ravaging bushfires driven by desert winds and can readily identify with these words: “See how great a forest a little fire kindles!” (v. 5 NKJV). A single spark from a match has started many massive fires. Spreading faster and farther than we might ever imagine, that kind of fire destroys homes and businesses worth millions of dollars, leaving a scorched landscape and devastated lives.
Similarly, how many reputations have been ruined by a careless word? The impact of our words spreads far and fast, especially in our digital age. A word tweeted anywhere can be retweeted all over the world in seconds. Like a fire, that word can get out of control and do irreparable damage. Hence James wrote: “No man can tame the tongue” (v. 8 NKJV).
But God can. “The fruit of the Spirit is… self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23 NKJV). The Holy Spirit can take a tongue that peddles gossip and turn it into one that brings glory to God. He can take a tongue that spews bitterness and turn it into one that speaks blessing.
Gossip is saying something behind someone’s back that you would never say to that person’s face. Flattery is saying something to someone’s face that you would never say behind the person’s back. And both are wrong. So, let’s join the Psalmist in praying: “May these words of my mouth… be pleasing in your sight, Lord” (Psalm 19:14 NIV).
Soul food: Deut 5-7; Matt 6:19-34; Ps 37:8-15; Prov 11:27-29
2026-05-01
Jakobus 3:2 NLV
Die Bybel sê: ‘Ons maak almal baie foute. Maar ‘n mens wat sy tong in toom kan jou, kan dit ook met sy hele liggaam regkry. Net met ‘n stang in sy bek kan ons ‘n hele perd draai en laat koers kry waarheen ons wil’ (verse 2-3 NLV). As jy al ooit ‘n perd opgesaal het, weet jy dat die toom wat oor die perd se kop gepas word, ‘n stang het wat in sy bek gaan en bo-op sy tong lê. Wanneer die ruiter wil hê die perd moet stop, trek hy die teuels terug en die stang druk die perd se tong af. Die ruiter wat die perd se tong beheer, kan eintlik die perd se hele liggaam beheer – hom na regs of links stuur en dit tot stilstand, met ‘n eenvoudige trek aan die teuels, bring.
Net so moet jou tong onder die beheer van die Heilige Gees wees. Hoe hard jy ook al probeer, jy kan nie jou tong deur jou eie inspanning beheer nie. Het jy al dinge gesê wat jy wens jy kon terugneem? Het jy al probleme vir jouself en ander veroorsaak deur die dinge wat jy gesê het? Het jy al dinge gesê wat jy, as jy daarop terugkyk, nie kan glo dat dit uit jou mond gekom het nie?
Die probleem is dat wat jy sê nie in jou mond ontstaan nie, maar in jou hart: ‘…Waar die hart van vol is, loop die mond van oor’ (Matteus 12:34 NLV). Jy moet dus met die Gees vervul wees en ‘n hart hê wat daartoe verbind is om God se wil in elke omstandigheid te doen, om ‘n tong te hê wat deur die Gees beheer word.
Sielskos: Deut 3-4; Matt 6:1-18; Ps 37:1-7; Spr 11:24-26
James 3:2 NLT
The Bible says: “If we could control our tongues, we… could also control ourselves in every other way. We can make a large horse go wherever we want by means of a small bit in its mouth” (vv. 2-3 NLT). If you’ve ever bridled a horse, you know the bridle that slips over the horse’s head and behind its ears has a “bit,” a metal bar that goes in its mouth and lies on top of its tongue. When the rider wants the horse to stop, he pulls back on the reins and the bit presses down on its tongue. The rider who controls the horse’s tongue can actually control the horse’s whole body – steer it to the right or left, and bring it to a stop with a simple pull of the reins.
Likewise, your tongue needs to come under the control of the Holy Spirit. A horse can’t bridle itself; the one who masters it puts on the bridle. Try as you might, you can’t control your tongue through your own efforts. Haven’t you said things you wish you could take back? Haven’t you caused trouble for yourself and others by some of the things you’ve said? And haven’t you said things that, in hindsight, you can’t believe actually came out of your mouth?
The trouble is that what you say does not originate in your mouth but in your heart: “Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks” (Matthew 12:34 NKJV). So having a Spirit-controlled tongue is the result of being Spirit-filled and having a heart committed to doing God’s will in every circumstance.
Soul food: Deut 3-4; Matt 6:1-18; Ps 37:1-7; Prov 11:24-26
2026-04-30
Matthew 18:21 NIV
There is a saying in baseball: “Three strikes and you’re out.” We tend to play life the same way. We give people two or three chances, but no more. But God never gives up on us. It’s not in His nature. When Peter asked Jesus how many times he should forgive his brother, Jesus set the gold standard. Peter answered his own question by saying, “Seven times.” But Jesus ups the ante to seventy times seven (see v. 22 NLT).
Then He ups the ante even more with a story of a master who forgave his servant a ten-thousand-talent debt. Let’s do a currency exchange. One talent totaled 180 months’ wages – that’s fifteen years! And that’s just one talent. So a 10,000-talent debt totaled 150,000 years of wages. Using today’s average life expectancy, it would have taken his servant 2,232 lifetimes to pay off the debt. Of course, the average life expectancy in the first century was less than half of what it is now, so it would have taken twice as many lifetimes to pay off the debt.
But instead of years, let’s put this debt into dollars. Using a minimum wage of $7.25, let’s take a nine-to-five job, Monday through Friday. That’s an annual income of $15,080. That might not seem like much, but when you multiply it by 150,000 years, it totals $2,262,000,000. (Three commas means billions.)
Now here’s the thing: by virtue of what Christ accomplished on the cross, your sin debt – past, present, and future – is paid in full. That’s a truth you can be confident in and stand on.
Soul food: Deut 1-2; Matt 5:38-48; Ps 2; Prov 11:22-23
