Think about how you have been hurt by others' speech. Are you ready to tear out that root of anger and bitterness? In James 3:9, God says you'll only be able to do that when you concentrate on the Lord rather than the person. James says, don't keep cursing along with blessing. The miracle today is for you to choose to forgive the person by putting your eyes upward on the Lord and by spending your time praising Him.
Yesterday, we talked about the tongue: that potentially deadly instrument that is impossible to tame. We saw how dangerous it is to be a person with loose lips and evil intent. Only God can tame the tongue. Today, reflect on times when you have hurt others with your words. Now go to them and repent. Decide to use your tongue to bless rather than curse people.
This week's passage mentioned Rahab as being righteous in the eyes of God. What's that you say? "How can that be? After all, Rahab was a prostitute. A righteous prostitute?" I really like this passage. It gives me hope since I am far from being perfect. We can be refreshed that God does not demand perfection before God considers us righteous. Yes, she was a prostitute, but she came to faith and her faith produced proper works. She escaped the fall of Jericho, where she lived, because she helped Hebrew spies by telling a lie.
Hebrews 11:31 calls her a woman of faith- a true believer. Matthew 1 says that she was the mother of Salmon, the grandmother of Boaz, the great grandmother of Jesse, who was the father of King David. This puts her in the lineage of Jesus! God is a friend of sinners. Thank God, He wants to take you just as you are and help you grow to be more and more like Christ!