The Power of Words

The Bible tells us that “life and death lie within the power of the tongue!” Words have the capacity to build up or tear down. James refers to the tongue as a small spark that can create a huge deadly forest fire, and he used that illustration long before the advent of the internet, e-mail and Facebook! These new electronic megaphones give our words even greater power and extend their shelf-life into infinity! Jesus tells us that our words will either condemn us or vindicate us, and that we will all give “an account for every careless word!” and Paul encourages us to not let any “unwholesome words come out of our mouths but only that which is useful for the building up of the body.”

Quite a lot of Biblical ink is dedicated to telling us what kind of talk is to be avoided and what kind of talk is to be embraced. Idle chatter, gossip, foolish quarrels, arguments about trivial matters and minor doctrines, lies, anger, wrath, malice, hate, evil-speaking, dissentions, factions, filthy language from our lips, course jokes, and stirring up dissension among the brothers, are all listed as the kinds of word we are to avoid like the plague that they are! I am particularly struck by God’s inclusion of “stirring up dissension” as one of the 7 things He utterly detests! (Prov. 6:16-19) “There are six things the LORD hates, seven that are detestable to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies and a man who stirs up dissension among brothers.” Yet even with all these warnings, it is so easy for each and every one of us to lend our tongue to unrighteousness and allow the devil to use our words in his scheme to “divide and conquer.” James tells us that the tongue is the hardest of all things to control! And most of us don’t need James to tell us! We know it by experience. Blessings and curses come from the same mouth, and we have all been on both sides of that equation. We have all given and received both blessings and curses and we know feelings of their corresponding joy or pain.

The Bible also gives us clear direction on what kind of words ought to fill our mouths: praise, prayer, praying at all times with all kinds of prayers, words of encouragement, thanksgiving, words that build-up/edify, good, kind, true, pure, lovely, excellent, praiseworthy words, speaking to ourselves with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs and making melody in our hearts to the Lord, spurring one another to love and good deeds, being ready to give a reason for why we have hope and sharing the good news of the gospel with all.

So let’s all take a little inventory. How am I using this, my most powerful of tools/weapons – my words? We can’t control them, but God can…. He will control to the extent that we surrender.