Read: James 3:5-10

Milo looked up as his little sister limped into the kitchen. “What’s wrong?”

“I need new shoes!” Presley said. She lifted her right foot. “This one hurts me!”

Milo smirked. “Because you don’t know how to put shoes on right. You probably have them on the wrong feet.” He laughed. “You’re such a baby!”

Presley crossed her arms. “I’m six years old. I know which shoe goes on which foot!”

“Let me see,” said Dad, and Presley lifted her foot for him to check. “It’s the tongue of the shoe, honey,” he said, untying it. “It’s twisted and all bunched up. We’ll just straighten it out.” Dad pulled hard on the tongue and retied the shoe. “How does it feel now?”

Presley ran around the room and jumped. “That’s better! It’s all fixed!”

“Well, you may have gotten your shoe on the right foot, but you didn’t put it on correctly,” said Milo. “Like I said, you’re such a baby.”

“Stop it, Milo!” said Presley, close to tears.

“Milo, that’s enough,” said Dad. “It was the tongue in Presley’s shoe that was causing a problem, but there’s another one causing a much bigger problem.”

Milo looked down at his feet. “My shoes are fine, Dad.”

“You may not have a problem with the tongue in your shoe, but what about the one in your mouth?” asked Dad.

Milo sighed. “I guess you mean I need to be nicer to Presley.”

Dad nodded. “The Bible says the tongue is small but can do a great deal of damage—just like the tongue in Presley’s shoe.”

“Yeah,” said Presley. “It didn’t seem like such a little thing could hurt my foot so much.”

“Words can hurt people a lot more than shoes can hurt feet,” said Dad. “That’s why we need to be careful with our tongues. Jesus wants us to use our words to help others and show them His love. If we’re using them to hurt others instead, we have a big problem—one only Jesus can fix by straightening out our hearts and helping us love others the way He does.”

Milo nodded. “I’m sorry, Presley,” he said. “Here, let me show you how I put my shoes on so you’ll always know how to do it right.”

–Mary F. Watkins

How about you? Do you have a problem tongue? Do you say things to hurt others and make them upset? Tongues are small things that can cause a lot of damage and pain. If you’re using words to make someone feel bad, talk to Jesus about it and trust Him to help you love that person the way He does. Then use your words to help that person instead of hurting them.

Today's Key Verse: I will watch my ways and keep my tongue from sin. Psalm 39:1 (NIV)

Today's Key Thought: Watch your words