Can Must Will

DEVOTION
JAMES
CAN MUST WILL
James 3:3-6
3 When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. 4 Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. 5 Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. 6 The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.
NIV
It surely is a far better thing for me to just keep my mouth shut than get myself into a situation described here. I know I have to be guilty of making some kind of comment about somebody of something which qualifies me of for being guilty. Gossip would have to be the mix here as well. Judging or assessing, whichever, must also stand in this column. It is just so easy to forget and get catch up in conversation which leads to me on this path. Why is this? I have to set forth on a new beginning each day not to make one comment which qualifies as negative about anyone. It seems everyone is always talking about someone else rather than about topics of importance which effects life itself. Should I simply say I can’t comment, or should I just keep silent? Should I say that comment is gossip and we should not continue this conversation? Maybe I should just not comment, but then I might be considered rude by not participating in the social exchange. I think not only must I not gossip but I must bring it to the attention of the group that this course of conversation is becoming gossip and it should stop. I also cannot help think this also deals with what I say about what I believe. If I continue to confess false doctrine, not that I ever would, but if I did that talk would bring about corruption to my lifestyle and set the course of my path to destruction and perish. I must be careful to speak the truth of God and only the truth of God. In light of the whole of chapter four I have to believe this speaks to this issue about teachers of the word. False doctrines will bring about a false life. Untruth will bring about corruption. Too many men have already proven that. Too many have corrupted the truth for God with their tongue and it has set the course of their life on fire. I cannot allow that to happen to me. I must obey only the truth of God, preach only his word, his truth, his ways. But again why or how can I be so sure I have the truth? I have examined myself. I do not preach or teach or write for personal gain but only out of obedience to his call on my life. I do not seek fame and fortune, although I must admit a little of both might be nice if God allowed it. Sometimes I don’t really know why I bother. I am not sure anyone listens. Maybe because I am not perfect, I have open faults, and people think I should be perfect, I should practice perfectly all I preach. I should, but I cannot. Yet I can be careful as to what I say, about people and about the truth of God. That I can do, that I must do, that I will do.