A Sting or Honey?

My devotion the other day was about bees:

When a bee stings, she dies. She cannot sting and live. When men sting, their better selves die. Every sting kills a better instinct. You can't say stinging things without a harmful result to yourself.

Maybe a bee stings to "get even." Nevertheless, getting even takes its toll. Perhaps the bee even has just cause to sting. It dies anyhow. And so with you and me. No matter what the reason, we can't "sting" another and escape the penalty.

This is so true! Of course I had to do my own research about bees. It is the Honey Bee that loses its life when it stings. The same insect who can sting is the very one that gathers flower nectar to produce honey! What a contradiction.



James chapter 3 had something to say about our most contrary member:

3 Behold, we put bits in the horses' mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body.
4 Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth.
5 Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!
6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.
7 For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind:
8 But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.
9 Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God.
10 Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.

Will your tongue produce a sting or honey today?