The Power of Life & Death

Posted by: jennifer 

WORDS
They so easily slip off the tongue, sometimes before we realize we’re really thinking them. They can be used to convey information, make jokes, express love, bring encouragement… or, according to Proverbs, bring death:
“The tongue has the power of life and death,
and those who love it will eat its fruit” (18:21).
I hope that stops us in our tracks. So much power given to such a small thing as the tongue. Do our words–often careless afterthoughts or quick reactions to a situation–really have the power to give life or death? I’m not sure I want my words to have that kind of power! I know in my heart I haven’t always stewarded that power well. I’ve hurt people, spoken falsehood, continued arguments simply to prove I was right, spewed out careless words when I should have listened… truly the tongue is a dangerous weapon.
But we’re not asked if we want that kind of power for our words; we’re simply told that we have it. The question is: how will we use it?
I’m encouraged by the promise that Solomon put on the end of this sobering proverb: “Those who love it will eat its fruit.” Yes, the power that the tongue has to discourage, to breed fear, and to destroy relationships is very real and must be guarded against with all diligence. But the tongue equally has the power to bring life! We can bring encouragement, dispel fears, and mend relationships all through our words. And we’re promised that if we learn to exercise this power well, we will reap the fruit of it in our own lives.
Are there words someone spoke to you, perhaps years past, that have marked you in significant ways–for good or for bad? What is it that gave those words such power? Can you think of a time when someone’s words were just what you needed to hear, giving you the courage to act or helping you to transform your attitude?
While it can be scary how much power our words have, it can also be exciting. God has given me this tremendous tool for bringing life to those around me. If I allow him to speak through me, choosing to express truth and beauty and kindness, I can literally change lives… or, as Proverbs puts it, give life.
And perhaps years down the road, there will be real fruit to harvest from the simple words our tongues have spoken.