We often think that if we just had the right tip or trick, we could solve every problem in our lives—from our health to our marriages. But information alone isn't wisdom.

In James 3:13-18, we see that there are two kinds of wisdom competing for our hearts. One is earthly and unspiritual, fueled by a "bitter sludge" of jealousy and selfish ambition. The other is from above: pure, peaceable, and full of mercy.

There is a unique satisfaction in building a fire the old-fashioned way—watching a tiny flame grow into a source of warmth and light. But as any woodsman knows, that same fire requires constant vigilance. Left unchecked, it becomes a force of total destruction.

In this week's sermon on James 3:1–12, we see that the tongue operates much like a fire. It is a small member of the body, yet it boasts of great things and possesses the power to set the course of a life—or a community—ablaze.