Posts Tagged ‘ tongue ’
Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.
Proverbs 18:21, CSB
Life is hard. God is good. We can make life more difficult or better with the words we say, so may we share God’s words and grace with those around us.
Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.
Ephesians 4:29, ESV
God is our source of life and love, giving us the power to control our minds and tongues to help each other in life and worship.
After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”
Revelation 7:9-10, ESV
We don’t and probably can’t comprehend how great the saving grace of our God is, and one glorious day we will join with the multitudes of saints in universal praise of our God!
Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.
Proverbs 18:21, ESV
Are you better at encouraging or discouraging, building up or tearing down with your words?
Do you share biblical, spiritual truths or focus on worldly and even sinful talk?
Do you spread love or hate?
When words are many, transgression is not lacking, but whoever restrains his lips is prudent.
Proverbs 10:19 ESV
We live in a society of blaming, shaming, and excusing (ourselves) without much thought or care for others.
Choose your words wisely. You are God’s image-bearer speaking to fellow image bearers.
If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.
1 Corinthians 13:1, NASB
We can be the smartest, most eloquent of speakers, but if we are merely trying to prove how much we know, win an argument, or correct all incorrect thinking apart from loving the person or people we are talking to …
… we are only making noise and not glorifying God.
The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.
Proverbs 18:21, NIV
Do you talk a lot? Or not at all?
What do you say when you speak?
Is what you say uplifting and wholesome or tearing down and frivolous?
Back in 2002, I was working at McDonald’s. There was a customer who came in complaining about the service she was receiving and ridiculing the employees for incompetence, laziness, and rudeness. When she left, one of my co-workers said “I hate chicken-lips.”
“What are chicken-lips?” I asked.
“Chicken-lips are people who act like chickens who think they have lips. They cluck about everything, and get in the way. In other words, they only make a lot of noise and accomplish nothing other than making others angry or sad.”
Now you know the back story to this poem.
Also remember:
Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check.
When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. 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 person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.
All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, but no man 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 men, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.
chicken lips
i should not say
the things i say
i should not think
the things i think
if someone mocks
i will not mock
if someone jokes
i will not joke
i will keep my mind open
i will keep my mouth shut
i will change my words
i will change my thoughts
Taken from deeper words for God from a simple man of God by daniel m klem, page 16.
a simple man of God 