Proverbs 18:20-21
From the fruit of their mouth a person’s stomach is filled;
with the harvest of their lips they are satisfied.
21 The tongue has the power of life and death,
and those who love it will eat its fruit.
Proverbs 15:4
The soothing tongue is a tree of life,
but a perverse tongue crushes the spirit.
Psalm 50: 19
You use your mouth for evil
and harness your tongue to deceit.
James 3:5:10
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. 6 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.
7 All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, 8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.
9 With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. 10 Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be.
Recently, I was with a friend waiting for an Uber. Unfortunately, the driver refused to pick us up due to my friend’s service dog. My friend was justifiably angry and as the car drove away she started spouting obscenities and threats. This friend is a believer, but caught up in her feelings of pain, rage, frustration, rejection…she allowed her tongue to become a weapon for hate.
Let’s take a closer look at how these words can cause a ripple affect of negativity. First, These words were aimed at the driver and possibly they will cause pain and stress to him. Ultimately, it seems more beneficial to use words that may educate him about his misunderstanding of his responsibilities to accommodate service animals. It could be argued that drivers would be less apt to pick up crazy blind people who tend to have anger issues. What I am trying to get at through my exaggeration is that the driver may lose sight that he was in the wrong and he may just remember the cutting words. He will just tell others including his boss that he was uncertain of the person’s mental state.
I know you are probably thinking “Wow” Where are you going with this? I am trying to emphasize the point that our tongue has so much power. Let’s use it to educate, when we are angry. If that doesn’t seem possible…Take the moment to Praise the Lord! You may be thinking that now I have gone crazy…but seriously…think what an awesome role model we would be if instead of creating a hostile one, we Praise Jesus. Others who may be around will sense the peace that you have. Instead of lighting another fire in this already intense world…Take the opportunity to light another flame for Jesus.
It is my prayer that the next time you feel violated in any way…use the opportunity to speak words of peace and wisdom. Not only will you grow and cultivate an atmosphere of peace, you will also feel a deep sense of love and peace in our mighty Lord.