Do you remember as a child being told to “bite your tongue?”
What an odd request! Thankfully, those instructions were rhetorical. We were actually being told to do something to silence the noise flowing from our seemingly disrespectful mouths. Your words are going to hurt someone or make a situation uncomfortable and so, you are then advised to take drastic measures in hopes to prevent any harm. Even as children, we understood that in order to bite we have to close our mouth. Why then do we battle this concept as adults? This childhood metaphor should serve as a reminder to put others feelings before our personal opinions.
Our mouth can get us in so much unnecessary trouble.
The internet has become a proverbial mask that we hide behind. We wear it well and become liberated to speak without restraint. Living under the misconception that because we are typing or using our thumbs instead of our tongues that we are not held accountable. After all, we live in America, the land of free speech…
I have learned that just because you have the freedom to speak, doesn’t mean you should.
If we aren’t careful, we lower our standard of Christian character based on the preconceived notion that we will never meet most of our social media friends face to face. So, what do we have to lose? The simple answer… Everything! See, once something is on the world wide web, it’s a lot harder to take back or revise because there’s no way to know just exactly how many people your words touched.
What we must understand: Words have power and can ultimately change someone else’s life for the good or the bad. I want to make sure that my words have a positive impact on others.
In the book of James, we learn that the tongue may be small but it is mighty and its work can be severely destructive. It shouldn’t be possible for a mouth to pour out a blessing on Sunday and hate on Monday. Yet, we see it all the time.
As human beings, it’s easy to get out of balance and busy with life. We become loose with our words as we allow the day to dictate our mood. We forget our “why” and as a result we begin serving our self instead of serving our savior. Make no mistake, the matters of your heart will always flow through your words, whether written or spoken. This is why we must learn to listen to our body. Take time to recharge when you are overwhelmed or on the verge of burnout. Do not try and solve a problem or respond to negativity when emotions are high or when you are exhausted with stress. Learn to let things go and spiritually take charge of your day.
Proverbs 18:21 says “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat it’s fruits.”
If we are only speaking to make ourselves feel better or just to get something off our chest, it’s not worth it! Your words should be productive, create change or bring someone closer to Christ. Speak to inspire hope and happiness in a world that is already polluted with ugly and nasty. Flesh can quickly become the master of our tongue instead of our spirit when the day does not start and end with Jesus.
We never have a right to hurt anyone and we can’t control what other people say or do. Revenge is not of God, regardless of the circumstance. Let God fight your battles and rule your tongue, even when you’re hurting…
Especially when you’re hurting.
We are the mouthpiece of Christ to this lost and hurting world, if our character is tainted with carnality then our voice becomes mute to those we are called to reach.
None of us are perfect, we all speak out of turn but when that happens, we must regain composure and make it right. Silence everything around you, get on your knees and pour your heart out until you feel His refreshing. Let His holy spirit flood over your weary soul and strengthen your body. This is when we begin to speak life and smile through the junk that life can bring into our day.
Here are a few things to remember:
- Use your words to heal and help not maim and mutilate.
- It takes few words to destroy a relationship.
- Make every word count! Speak life!
- Stand firm in the godliness that you have been called to.
- If our thoughts are negative and begin intoxicating our mind, every situation we encounter and word we speak will become hazardous.
- Think before you speak.
- Never forget the awesome power of your words.