The power of my words – what is my tongue doing?

An Emoji Devotional for Mon, July 18, 2022

Topic: The power of my words – what is my tongue doing?

By Pastor Hans Wenger

Recently I had a conversation with a dear Brother in Christ, who was utterly angry on President Putin from Russia. He found many indecent and damning words that violated the due respect for a bearer of the image of God, like he is and like Putin is. I do not want to judge him. He has relatives in Ukraine, who are suffering under the war in the country. I was, however, reminded how carelessly I myself use damning words that are violating the image of God of the targeted person. Most of us are way too often judgmental and quite careless in the way we use words, especially with regard to people. I therefore decided to make a little study how the Bible teaches us about the use of words.

Highlights:
Psalm 141:3: Set a guard over my mouth, Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips.
Ecclesiastes 4:23 – 24: Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. Keep your mouth free of perversity; keep corrupt talk far from your lips.
Colossians 4:5 & 6: Be wise in the way you act towards outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.
Ephesians 4:29: 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 5:3 & 4: But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving.

Matthew 7:1 & 2: Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way as you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
James 3:5 – 12: Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers and sisters, can a fig-tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.

All these verses do not need much explanation, they are clear and understandable. My tongue and your tongue are not naturally tamed. They need to be taken captive under the Holy Spirit, who will represent the fruit of the Spirit, which is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control according to Galatians 5, 22-23. Paul exhorts us in Colossians 3:12 - 14: “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.”

Our words have much more power than we realize and they can cause damage over generations. As Christians we should therefore only use words that depict love and respect to human beings. Let us hate sin and distance ourselves from it, but let us be respectful and loving to sinners. They need the Gospel and the love of the Lord as badly as we do.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, I pray that you cleanse my heart from every evil thought. Guide me in your ways and tame my tongue with the discipline of your Holy Spirit. Let me love and understand others the way I would like to be loved and understood. Amen.