|
We have been talking for a few weeks about the power of words. Words are powerful. Have you ever considered that with all of the miracles Jesus performed people were amazed at His words ?! They were amazed at
His miracles too. But He spoke like no other. His words set Him apart as much as His miracles did.
God created the world with words, as we have seen. And the Bible teaches us that our words too have power. That is why we are cautioned to choose them wisely and use them wisely.
One of the first principles we learn from Scripture about our words is to limit them...
 When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise. – Proverbs 10:19
 A man of knowledge uses words with restraint,
and a man of understanding is even-tempered.
Even a fool is thought wise if he keeps silent,
and discerning if he holds his tongue . - Proverbs 17:27 and 28
(Abe Lincoln - "Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt.")
He who guards his mouth and his tongue keeps himself from calamity. - Proverbs 21:23
Or as Thumper says,  “If you can't say nothing nice don't say nothing at all.”
Our words matter. They matter because God says they matter, and they matter because they have great impact. The Bible says they contain the power of life and death. Jesus said that they reveal the content of our hearts. James said they steer our lives. They can also affect the lives of others.
Let's face it. It is easy easier to say negative things than it is to say positive things. The Bible says that the words of a gossip are like choice morsels. They taste good. James said that no one has tamed the tongue – it is bent toward evil.
There is some kind of sick satisfaction in saying something negative about someone. But what effect does negative speech have? Listen to the contrast we find in Scripture between negative words and positive words.
PR 12:6 The words of the wicked lie in wait for blood, but the speech of the upright rescues them.
PR 12:18 Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.
PR 15:4 The tongue that brings healing is a tree of life, but a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit.
Negative words harm, positive words set people free. Careless words hurt, wise words heal. Deceptive words are oppressive, words of blessing bring life.
The author if Proverbs also wrote, “Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.” Proverbs 16:24
The second principle we learn from Scripture regarding words is to choose to use positive words whenever and wherever possible.
You've heard the expression, “I have a few choice words for that person. All of our words should be few, and they should be choice words.
God is serious about this. Jesus said that God holds us accountable for our words (Matthew 12:36 ), not just the ones spoken maliciously, but even the words spoken carelessly
In the past few weeks we have looked at the power to bless. God wants us to choose to bless others with our words.
Last week we saw that our tongue sets the course for our life. We can steer our lives by watching our tongue.
We need to know that we are responsible for what we say to and about others.
Sometimes it is a good idea to just not say anything. Other times it is a good idea to intentionally look for something good to say. God is all about blessing people, healing people, encouraging people, forgiving people…our words should reflect these aspects of His nature.
Think of this. Does God know anything negative that He could say about you? Of course He does. But what is the overwhelming tenor of what He has to say about you in His word? It is positive.
 I am going to have our greeters hand out something to you right now that is based on Scripture, and reflects what God has to say about you. It is from Shiloh Place ministries, and is called “I Am Father God's Happy Thought.” I know that sounds a lot like Peter Pan, or Care Bears, and I'm not on an animation binge today, but deal with it okay. I didn't make up that title. These are some things God says about you.
<read "I Am Father Gods Happy Thought">
Despite all of your shortcomings and failures God takes time to say things like, “You are the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus.” “I have called you friends.” “I have loved you with and everlasting love.” “Nothing shall separate you from My love.”
God cares what we say about other people. We need to take care also. Let me give you an example from Scripture…
 In Ecclesiastes God says:
Do not revile the king even in your thoughts,
or curse the rich in your bedroom,
because a bird of the air may carry your words,
and a bird on the wing may report what you say.
Ecclesiastes 10:20
We can be negative about anyone. And it is especially easy to be negative about those who are in authority and those who we are jealous of. But God says not to be negative, not even in the privacy of our homes. In fact, He says we shouldn't assume that no one will ever know the things we say in secret. They have a way of getting out.
I am not saying we should never disagree, that we should never express dissent when we see injustice, or that we have no role in offering correction – even to leaders. But God does not want us to be like everybody else, who just grumbles and complains, and tears down. He has put into our mouths the potential for great good. He wants us to do good, and certainly not to do harm.
Conclusion: Most of us know we shouldn't be negative. We shouldn't curse at people, slander people, or gossip. But most of us can find some occasion to justify our negativity and critical language. God doesn't want us to do it. He wants His Church to bless. He wants us to instruct. He wants us to encourage. He wants us to use our tongues to bring life, not to keep adding to the death that is already all around us.
 Let me be practical as I wrap this up. A It is so easy to criticize the way someone raises their children. It is so easy to judge someone because of the way they dress. It is easy to assume we know how to lead a country, a church, or a football team.
But it is not so easy to pray for people when we see something that concerns us. It is not easy to assume the best. It is not easy to look for and find something good to say. Actually, it is easy, but it is not normal. Most people criticize without even thinking. But the Bible tells us to be quick to listen and slow to speak, and slow to become angry (James 1:19 ).
The best way to gain control over our tongue is to pray and ask God for help. I promise you that He will help you if your mean it. Second, reprogram your mind with the Word of God. Read over the Happy Thoughts and realize that they are not just for you, but also for the people you want to be critical of. Third, be careful who you hang out with. Nothing stirs up negative speech as much as negative company. Encourage your friends to watch their tongues, and hold each other accountable.
James said that whoever is able to control their tongue is perfect. Perfect doesn't mean faultless. It means complete. We cannot be complete in our walk with God without giving Him our mouth as well as out time, our energy and our money. In fact, remember that James also said that our life will follow our tongue. |
