Lately the Holy Spirit has been making me more and more aware of the power of words. In fact, the Bible reminds us that both “DEATH and LIFE are in the power of the tongue…” (Proverbs 18:21) I am grateful for God’s reminder. When we toss around words carelessly from the well of unstable emotions—we burn bridges, destroy lives, decimate relationships, bring shame to God’s kingdom and worst of all—we prevent folks from entering into eternal life through the gift of salvation. The Bible says:
“For we all stumble in many things. If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a PERFECT man, able also to bridle the whole body. Indeed, we put bits in horses’ mouths that they may obey us, and we turn their whole body. Look also at ships: although they are so large and are driven by fierce winds, they are turned by a very small rudder wherever the pilot desires. Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things.
See how great a forest a little fire kindles! And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell.
For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind. But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.
With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing.
My brethren, these things ought not to be so. Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening? Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh.”
James 3:2-12
Taming our tongue isn’t merely an act of self-control. It’s all about the heart. When our heart belongs to God—meaning we love Him more than we love anyone or anything—then the fruit of His Spirit refines our speech to be loving, peacemaking, compassionate, and kind. When we strive to develop HIS attitudes, we are meek and full of mercy, and what we say overflows with strength and wisdom, but is tempered by love.
My friend, our speech can bring glory to God and be sustaining nourishment for those around us OR it can dishonor God and be like battery acid destroying the life around it.
And when we are struggling to hear God and allow His presence to flow through us, we can always use a simple test to measure our words: Are they KIND, NECESSARY, and HONEST? What a great filter, right? Think about how different our news, political speech, personal communication, family lives, professional communication, and every aspect of our life would be —if we all ran each sentence through this filter!
When we learn to tame our tongue so that our speech glorifies God by being kind, necessary and honest—our life reflects God’s presence. The world needs Jesus. Our words can create an environment that draws folks into His presence. When our words are in sync with the love of God, we have immeasurable power to draw others to Christ.
There are no greater words that we can speak than the words of life that lead others to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
When we love God with all our heart, He becomes the filter for our words, and then we speak the LIVING Word with ease and credibility. God’s Word perfects us and allows us to be part of the process of eternal miracles.
“[T]he Word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”
Hebrews 4:12
As born again Christians, let’s be encouraged today to engage our words in the most important mission on earth—sharing the gift of eternal life with a lost and dying world for the glory of God!
