James 3:6-12

James 3:6-12
Contemporary English Version (CEV)

  Yesterday, I mentioned the book I was reading about the Lusitania (Dead Wake).  It's been a fascinating read, for it wasn't one big mission the Germans launched to sink it, but lots of little things that conspired to bring the ship and the U-Boat together on that fateful night.  Had any one of those little things changed, history might look very different.
  This is true of most historic events.  When you study the details, it often seems as though thousands of little facts lead up to the most historic events.  The details matter, for in them we find the driving forces that caused such events.
  The same can be true of our words.  As James says, the tongue can be like a spark, a tiny little force that can start the largest forest fire.  One little drop of poison can change the course of history.  Small words can start large wars.
  So let us be mindful of even the smallest details of our lives, not letting little things slip because they seem like they don't matter.  Our lives are comprised of one small moment after the next.  Jesus tells us that when we are faithful with a little, we will be given a lot.  So let us be mindful, aware, practicing faithfulness in the smallest of tasks, believing that the habits of faithfulness that are honed on the small things will teach us how to be faithful in the bigger things that come our way.