The power of our words
Many times we throughout our day have either hurt someone or we ourselves have been hurt by someone because of what they have chosen to say to us. Also, many times we either uplifted and encouraged someone or someone has uplifted and encouraged us by what they choose to say. What I would like for us to do is consider the word CHOOSE.
Websters defines it as:
- To select from a number of possibilities; pick by preference: She chose Sunday for her departure.
- To prefer or decide (to do something): He chose to run for election.
- To want; desire
Simply put, to choose something we must make a selection from any of the numerous possibilities that are set before us. We choose something because we want it; we prefer something over another then simply make the decision of choice.
While sitting with my family at a restaurant, I look over all the selections they have to offer and under careful consideration I make my choice. I choose or prefer a greasy double bacon cheese-burger over a chicken sandwich and place my order.
It’s a choice we all make
Let’s look at some scripture
There are over 100 verses that mention the tongue and how it effects us and those around us. We are only going to look at a few.
Proverbs 15:4 (NIV)
The soothing tongue is a tree of life, but a perverse tongue crushes the spirit.
Proverbs 18:21 (NIV)
The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.
James 3:5 (NIV)
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.
James 3:6 (NIV)
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.
Jeremiah 9:8 (NIV)
Their tongue is a deadly arrow; it speaks deceitfully. With their mouths they all speak cordially to their neighbors, but in their hearts they set traps for them.
Matthew 5:22 (NIV)
But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.
Exodus 20:13 (NIV)
“You shall not murder.
Here we can see that God has given our tongue an amazing power; have you ever considered how we are made in the very image of God Himself? While in creation or while He walked among us, when He spoke things happened. Trees withered, the blind regained sight, lepers were healed and so on. If we are made in His image and with only a word spoken by Him a tree withers or the sick recover, how much the same power do our words carry? Remember it was a third of the angels in Heaven who were deceived by Lucifer by what? His words.
It is easy to say your sins are forgiven; much harder to heal the sick.
There’s a line of a song that reads “hating is easy, loving takes real character“
Ask yourself, why is hating much easier to do? Why does loving someone seem to always come at a price? After all no one ever hated someone and then paid the price for that hatred; they only hurt themselves by carrying the burden of hate. Love comes at a price because often times we will love someone who
1. Does not love us back
2. Will not receive the love we are trying to give
More often than not you will find the later the more you work in ministry however, both are rejection and both equally hurt.
Hate comes easy to us therefore it is not much of a choice; it comes natural to us all to get upset when someone treats us unfairly however, to make the choice to love that one who has hurt us; that is where true character comes in to play.
Our tongues:
1. Can be soothe or crush the spirit
2. Is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body
3. It corrupts the whole body
4. Is a deadly arrow
5. Sets the whole course of one’s life on fire
6. Set on fire by hell
This is why Jesus in Matthew 5:22 “anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.”
1. Raca means worthless
2. You fool talks down to someone; it destroys their character while building yours up
Jesus said when you talk like this to someone; call them worthless and tear down their spirit that you will one day answer to the judge for this; and He is the judge who judges all men and women.
He also said that if you destroy someone by ridicule then you yourself are in danger of hell itself. Well, you may say that this seems a bit harsh coming from an all loving creator but wait a minute, He’s just and we can always count on Him to do what’s right. So if God were to change His own law and allow murders to go free then His entire justice system is corrupted. It would be in a false balance which He Himself said He hates. So therefore, we all regardless of yesterday; if we continue to hold unrepentance for our actions or behaviors then God is just to hold us accountable to those actions. How can God forgive sin if not acknowledged and asked for? Will He give a rock if ask for a fish? no. Nor will He forgive sin if not repented of; and to repent of something we must first acknowledge to Him that we have made mistakes and confess to Him those mistakes.
I’m not talking about how are we ever going to be able to confess every single sin we make to God when we are bond to the sinful nature of the flesh; that would take some of us all of our life. I know it would mine and my memory is not that sharp as it was a few years back. So no, I’m not talking about that and neither does God require that from any of us. I am only talking about the sin we know we are doing before God.
To sum it all up; do what your momma told you to do and watch your mouth we don’t want to hurt each other or destroy the spirit of another. That’s not pleasing to God. He wants us to live in peace with each other always.
To choose life and not death we must make a selection from any of the numerous possibilities that are set before us. We must choose something because we want it; we simply must prefer life over death.
Pastor David
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