IF ONLY I could take back what I said! Have you ever thought that? The truth is, we all struggle to master our language. It's a small but very powerful organ. The words that come out of our mouths have the power to create our atmosphere and establish the foundations of our lives, and worse still, they can have a powerful impact on those closest to us.
The Bible gives us this warning about the tongue in Proverbs 18:21:
Death and life are in the power of the tongue; those who like to use it will have to accept the consequences.
To make you more aware of the power of your tongue, here's a short story that perfectly illustrates the power of your tongue.
This is the story of a teacher who had two students in his class, both named Henry. One was a cheerful, helpful youngster and an excellent student. The other was mostly grumpy, sad and not very good at school.
At a parents' meeting, the mother of one of the Henrys comes up to the teacher and asks how things are going with Henry? By mistake, the teacher assumes she's the mother of the happy, excellent Henry, so he tells her.
I can't tell you how much I like him, I'm so happy he's in my class! The next day the grumpy Henry comes to his teacher and says, my mother told me what you said about me last night. I've never had a teacher who wanted me in his class.
The result? From that day on, he started doing his homework. A few weeks later, he became one of the hardest workers and one of the teacher's best friends. His life changed completely because of an accidental word of encouragement!
Your language can be a source of life or death, a source of blessings or curses, a source of encouragement as in the case of this teacher and his pupil Henry, or simply a source of discouragement. It's up to you to decide how you want to use it.
James, Jesus' half-brother, compares this organ to a fire capable of destroying a forest. The unbridled tongue can be influenced by destructive forces and cause so much injustice that it can contaminate the whole life of its possessor. It can be a spiritual poison, for oneself and for others.
The bad news is that man is incapable of taming his tongue by his own efforts; nor can any imperfect human completely avoid stumbling in speech. Does this mean we have to give up? No! Let's look at three biblical principles that will help us better master this small but powerful organ.
If you have your Bible handy, you can pick it up and follow us as we read these three life-saving biblical principles.
• The first is found in Proverbs 10:19.
In the abundance of words transgression is not lacking, but he who restrains his lips shows himself wise. The more we talk, the more likely we are to say stupid, even harmful things. Indeed, an unbridled tongue can spread slander and hurtful gossip as quickly as a fire spreads. On the other hand, when we hold our lips - that is, when we think before we speak - we consider the effect our words are likely to have. In this way, we become known for our discretion, and earn the respect and trust of others.
● The second biblical principle is found in James 1:19:
Every man must be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger. We like to be listened to attentively, because it's a sign of interest as well as respect. But what do you do when you hear something offensive or provocative? You have to try to be slow to anger, not to reciprocate. And who knows? Perhaps the person you were talking to was upset and will apologize for his or her derogatory remark. Do you find it difficult to be slow to anger? If so, ask God for self-control. He doesn't despise such sincere requests. In fact, we'll make a short prayer of it at the end.
● The third and final principle is found in Proverbs 25:15.
A gentle tongue can break a bone.
Contrary to popular belief, gentleness is strength. For example, a gentle response can triumph over opposition that seems as hard and unyielding as a bone, perhaps caused by anger or prejudice. Let's face it, being gentle, especially when tempers flare, is sometimes quite a feat. Think about the benefits of following the Bible's advice, and what can happen when we don't.
Biblical principles truly denote wisdom from on high. When we apply this wisdom to our language, our words honor our fellow human beings, build them up and earn their affection. Genuine apples of gold in silver chasing, they are most timely in keeping with Proverb 25.
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