“How great a forest is set ablaze by a small fire! And the tongue is a fire.” James the Apostle
How can you lose billions of dollars of assets?
I have heard many times, “I’m an American. I have a right to my opinion.”
My readings in literature and history teach that having an opinion is the human condition. Opinions are easy. Thought is hard. Informed opinions thoughtfully expressed are rare as a gem in the desert.
You can say whatever pops into your mind. On social media it is easy to just pop off something. And then you live with that forest fire that James warns us.
You can say what you want, but there are consequences. Not everyone will agree. Many will vehemently disagree. There is no rule that you will not suffer consequences from saying stupid or inflammatory things.
These thoughts sprang from thinking about Elon Musk, agreeing publicly with a white supremacist X post then seeing companies bail out of advertising with his company. He can say what he wants, but others need not agree.
“I’ve got a right to say what I want.” Yes, but that’s not always the responsible thing to do.
And again James teaches, “No one can tame the tongue—a restless evil, full of deadly poison.”
Your tongue, or your social media post, can create a whirlwind of emotions. Taking a breath before hitting the enter key asking if this is the responsible thing to do works wonders.
Faith Venture 
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