Words, Life or Death?

Recently on a social media site I shared a quote from the site of an author that I enjoy reading. The quote, paraphrased, was about our prayers, if we knew how much good our prayers did, we would spend more time on our knees lifting each other up.

     This morning I believe the Holy Spirit is having me look at the other side of that particular coin. If we knew how much we hurt other people by the negative things we say to them and about them then maybe we would quit hurting each other?

     I grew up hearing an old phrase, "sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me". I'm saying now that just isn't true. 

     In our world today there are young people bullying each other on social platforms that are driving young people to suicide. If words can't hurt then what is the explanation? 

     If words don't hurt, then why did God tell us so many times to guard our words? Tame our tongue, death and life are in the power of the tongue, let no corrupting talk come out of your mouth, rash words are like sword thrusts, if you do not bridle your tongue your religion is worthless, perverseness in the tongue breaks the spirit, bless and do not curse, the tongue is set on fire by hell....so, is that enough?

     I have lived with scoliosis and I have wondered if it was brought about by words, words that prevented my growth from being strong and straight. 

     This is not to say that every person that has scoliosis has it for the same reason, but it is something that I have wondered about for myself for years. 

     I was brought up to be tough so I could stand in a tough world. This teaching was done in love and for my own good, but while some may respond to this teaching by growing strong and tough, I bent, I was not designed to be strong and tough, I was designed to be tender and loving. This is a different subject than I really want to pursue now, but it is an example of the effect words can have on a young person as I was told over and over to not wear my feelings on my sleeves and to toughen up. 

     The purpose of this article is to say that while words can bring life or death, we throw them around like they have no effect. According to scripture the idea that they have no effect simply is not true. Our words do impact others and ourselves too. God did not give us mouths and words to hurt each other but to build each other up, to love each other, to encourage and teach.

     Even when we speak words privately we are discharging them into the atmosphere and as God's word does not return void, our words are not sent out without repercussions also. There is a scripture that says we will be held accountable for every careless word we speak(Matt 12:36)....do you want to stand in front of God and explain why you sat in your living room and said something unloving about your neighbor, your friend, your family member, your co-worker, your political leader, someone in your town, in your country, someone you know, someone you don't even know?

     Yes, God's word tells us we are forgiven when we are under Jesus' blood, but it also says we will stand and give account. Can you imagine how uncomfortable that will be? Me either, His word advises to bridle our tongues and I challenge you to join me in eliminating the negative things from our conversations that do not need to be there. Let's switch gears to thinking on whatever things are true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, of good repute. Let's speak words of excellence and praise. (Philippians 4:8) And go back to the good advice of mothers of days gone by...if you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all!