Proverbs 18:21 tells us that there are death and life in the power of the tongue.
With our tongue, our spoken words, we speak death or life over something or someone. Have you ever thought that just by saying something about someone that you may be bringing about that person's death. For instance, to slander someone's name may seem a little thing but think for a minute what effect that may have on that person. They may become depressed with worry over what you have said and depression often leads to suicide. So if that same person were to commit suicide then ultimately you would have committed murder with your spoken word.
In the same token, if you have something good to say about someone, it may uplift their spirit and make them feel happy. Maybe they were depressed and feeling like their life was worthless, but with your spoken word you made them think differently and their life became better.
Thus, there is death and life in the power of the tongue.
The word of God teaches us in James chapter 3 that no man can tame the tongue, it is evil and full of deadly poison. Now we know that the tongue itself is not evil, but it's what we say with the tongue that is evil and often deadly. James taught the people that blessing God with our praises and then turning around and cursing our neighbor with the same tongue is not right in God's eyes. He said in: James 3:9 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.
God is not pleased with those who go to church on Sunday and praise him and then have nothing but mean hateful things to say to people outside of the church.
We need to maintain control of our tongue!! We need to think before we speak and learn that our words are like rocks. Once you throw a rock, it can't be picked back up again and once you have spoken, those words can never be taken back. Our tongue can defile our whole body. It's full of iniquity and sin if we allow the flesh to control it, but it's also FULL OF LIFE if we bring it under subjection to the HOLY GHOST! We hold the power of life and death in our tongue. Words are one of the most powerful weapons of mankind and how we use that weapon determines who we are in Christ Jesus!
I challenge you today to begin speaking life over all situations. Be kind to a stranger, smile at someone, be courteous, let the love of Jesus show in your every day life not just in the church. The words you speak are truly life and death. Speak life.
