With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.
Purity of speech is a beautiful thing. To speak only what the Father wants us to say is to speak light into the world. Sadly, our world is hopelessly corrupt. No one is righteous… (Romans 3: 10)
Imagine for a moment, two children that happen to be identical twins. Both are boys. Both look alike. But inside they are different. One is very good, and the other is very bad. Let’s call the good twin, Gob and the bad twin, Nob. How are their worlds different?
Gob, since he is very, very good, does everything his parents ask of him and expect of him. He has a kind heart and a desire to please. He is tireless in his service to them. When Gob hears his parents talk what he hears is always pleasant. There is no need for correction so he enjoys their praise. He is the envy of other parents and they often speak well of him, too.
Nob is very, very bad. He does nothing his parents expect or ask of him. His room is a mess, his chores are undone. He tracks mud through the house and leaves the door open. He is always late (except for meals) and is generally rude and inconsiderate. When Nob hears his parents talk, it is always in a stern, unpleasant voice. They chide him and correct him. They point out what he needs to do and what he has left undone. At times they punish him.
Gob and Nob live in the same house. They have the same genes. They look identical. One represents everything the parents hoped for. The other represents everything the parents feared.
Because we are unrighteous beings, God speaks to us (through James) with a corrective tone. We need to make changes if we want to please Him. Can a salt spring produce fresh water? No. But a heart filled with God’s Word and the Holy Spirit can shine His Light in a dark world.
Application: Spend more time in God’s Word every day.
Food for Thought: We all have a little Gob and Nob in us. How do we become more like the child God wants us to be?
There are of course, the various Christian disciplines which are of great importance. But I think even “Nob” can being doing those, at least at times. The real difference is when we pursue God and love Him with everything we have – heart, soul, strength and mind. When we desire Him above all else we are pleasing Him. Loving God and then our neighbors as ourselves fulfills the intent of all the law (Mt 22:37-40; 1 Cor 13: 1-3)
Rich,
You have a very interesting take on today’s meditation. Thank you. I will have to think about this! 🙂
Consider it joy when we feel things aren’t the way we’d like like them to be. Trust that God has a plan for us.
Rob,
Some people “hobnob” others apparently “Gob Nob.” 🙂 Thank you for the encouragement. We all need to trust our Lord!
👍🏻 😆
Iron sharpens iron. We should be mindful of whom we choose as friends. We should hobnob with Gob and not Nob.
JEC,
That is a very timely comment. Thank you!
I think everyone here has a punny way of talking. But if we listen to his commands, obey, apply everything he teaches us, love him above all, pray in conversations with him daily, then he will guide us to being his faithful child.