Quote
"The tongue is a double edged sword that
can wound both the speaker and the listener"
MJ Flack
Scriptural Reference:
"The tongue has the power of life and
death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.
Proverbs 18:21
"For, “Whoever would love life and see good days must keep their
tongue from evil and their lips from deceitful speech."
1 Peter 3:10
"Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but
only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs,
that it may benefit those who listen."
Ephesians 4:29
"The soothing tongue is a tree of life, but a perverse tongue
crushes the spirit."
Proverbs 15:4
"The heart of the righteous weighs its answers, but the mouth
of the wicked gushes evil"
Proverbs 15:28
"Whoever would foster love covers over an offense, but whoever
repeats the matter separates close friends."
Proverbs 17:9
Reflection:
Your words can do more than just voice your opinion or objections, likes
or dislikes. The Bible teaches us that both death and life are in the
power of the tongue. Considered the smallest of the bodies members yet
the most powerful, the tongue is compared to a double edged sword. So
in Proverbs 18:21 we are told we will eat of the fruits of our speech
we are not being pleseantly complimented. We are being warned that if
our words are deciebtful or cruel they will create evil and cruel fruit
for us; similar to the saying what we sow we will reap. There is also
a common saying, 'you'll eat your words' where we are reminded of this
connection between what is said and what we experience.
What we, as Christians, need to keep in mind is that our words have
a power to heal or to hurt. Those same idle words can have an impact
on our witness. How often we portray ourselves as Sunday Christians
and fail by causually saying something that undermines our sharing of
the Gospel. It doesn't take much to do damage. As an example we may
say we are tolerant of others, yet in a heated discussion with someone
after feeling in some way hurt we blurt out how we just hate the way
As we associate with others we are in need of making sure we are surrounded
by those who agree with our Christian faith. Those whose words use words
to help and heal others. While avoiding those who carelessly use words
in ways that cause pain and indifference.
Prayer:
Amen