Wise with our words
What does scripiture say about our words?
Proverbs 9:10
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,
and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
Proverbs 12:6
The words of the wicked lie in wait for blood,
but the speech of the upright rescues them.
Proverbs 17:20(CEB)
Those with crooked hearts won’t prosper,
and those with twisted tongues will fall into trouble.
Proverbs 17:27
The one who has knowledge uses words with restraint,
and whoever has understanding is even-tempered.
Proverbs 16:27-28(CEB)
Worthless people dig up trouble;
their lips are like a scorching fire.
Destructive people produce conflict;
gossips alienate close friends.
Matthew 12:33-37
“Either consider the tree good and its fruit good, or consider the tree rotten and its fruit rotten. A tree is known by its fruit. 34 Children of snakes! How can you speak good things while you are evil? What fills the heart comes out of the mouth. 35 Good people bring out good things from their good treasure. But evil people bring out evil things from their evil treasure. 36 I tell you that people will have to answer on Judgment Day for every useless word they speak. 37 By your words you will be either judged innocent or condemned as guilty.”
“…evil speaking is the relating of a fault of an absent person to to others, even if the fault is real. Since pride often motivates this vicious activity, and talebearers often feel entitled to repeat the sins of others because they mistakenly believe they are being godly in doing so.” - John Wesley
Gossip is telling someone else’s story without love and for our gain.
James 3:1-12
My brothers and sisters, not many of you should become teachers, because we know that we teachers will be judged more strictly. 2 We all make mistakes often, but those who don’t make mistakes with their words have reached full maturity. Like a bridled horse, they can control themselves entirely. 3 When we bridle horses and put bits in their mouths to lead them wherever we want, we can control their whole bodies.
4 Consider ships: They are so large that strong winds are needed to drive them. But pilots direct their ships wherever they want with a little rudder. 5 In the same way, even though the tongue is a small part of the body, it boasts wildly.
Think about this: A small flame can set a whole forest on fire. 6 The tongue is a small flame of fire, a world of evil at work in us. It contaminates our entire lives. Because of it, the circle of life is set on fire. The tongue itself is set on fire by the flames of hell.
7 People can tame and already have tamed every kind of animal, bird, reptile, and fish. 8 No one can tame the tongue, though. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With it we both bless the Lord and Father and curse human beings made in God’s likeness. 10 Blessing and cursing come from the same mouth. My brothers and sisters, it just shouldn’t be this way!
11 Both fresh water and salt water don’t come from the same spring, do they? 12 My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree produce olives? Can a grapevine produce figs? Of course not, and fresh water doesn’t flow from a saltwater spring either.
Here is what we need to know…
Our words have the power to build up or tear down. Our words will tell others about our relationship with Jesus.
Here is what we need to do…
May we use our words in a way that builds up, and reflects the relationship we desire with The Lord.