The tongue can be an instrument of immense blessing and power, able to ignite a fire of inspiration, passion, motivation and the ability to speak into being those things we desire to see happen in our lives.
But it also has the same power to ignite a whole world of trouble and be the most dangerous part of our body. The tongue can be a fickle, unrestrained evil that spews out words full of toxic poison.
With our tongue, we can praise God and then turn around and curse a person who was made in God’s image. (James 3:8-9)
Our tongue controls the direction of our lives, much the same way that a rudder controls the entire direction of a ship. It is an instrument used to form words that positively or negatively direct our lives.
When an angel appeared to Zechariah and declared that he and his wife Elizabeth, in their old age, would have a son named John, he responded by doubting God’s message and promise to him. Instantly Zechariah was silenced and unable to speak until John was born so that he could not speak negative words over that which God had spoken and planned.
In contrast, when an angel appeared to the Virgin Mary telling her she would become pregnant, without knowing a man, she said, “Behold I am the servant of the Lord. Let it be to me according to your word.” (Luke 1:11-80)
Undoubtedly, as we all know, our tongues can be the most challenging thing to control and can leave us with great regret if we use them to declare negative, hurtful, faithless words. But there is hope. With God’s help, we have the power to control our tongues and speak words of life and healing.
Today I encourage you to watch over the words of your mouth. Ask the Lord to heal your heart of any hurt or disappointment, for it is out of the overflow of our hearts that our mouths speak. If what is in our hearts isn’t great, it will eventually reach our tongues.
Seek to make your conversation be always full of grace and seasoned with salt so that you may know how to answer everyone. Don’t let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouth, but only what helps build others up according to their needs will benefit those who listen. (Colossians 4:4; Ephesians 4:29)
“The soothing tongue is a tree of life, but a perverse tongue crushes the spirit.” (Proverbs 15:4)
“Those who guard their mouths and their tongues keep themselves from calamity.” (Proverbs 21:23)
“It’s one thing to stop saying the wrong things. But you’ve got to start saying the right things” (Joyce Meyer)
Prayer: Lord, thank you for giving me creative power in the words I speak. That I can speak words of life, creativity and blessing. Please fill me with your Holy Spirit so that my conversation would always be full of grace and beneficial to those who listen and that I would shape the future I desire with my words. In Jesus name Amen.