The Tongue
Our words are powerful, and we shouldn’t just say anything. The Bible, our direction and foundation guide us on our words, the impact of words and what can flow from them.
Proverbs 16:24
ESV
24 Gracious words are like a honeycomb,
sweetness to the soul and health to the body.
1 Corinthians 10:31
ESV
31 So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
Whatever we do, we do it with the conviction of doing it for God’s glory. Our words can’t just be anything and whatever, but our words reveal what’s inside of us.
Some of you deal with swearing /cussing. For those who struggle, the usual suspect is what we feed ourselves. If you’re constantly watching things that negatively influence you, even if it’s a comedy, even if it doesn’t seem that bad, it will affect you. If You’re constantly feeding yourself things that are filled with swearing, bad music, videos that are sinful etc. it will plant seeds in you and remain in your conscience.
What we watch and listen to has the power to change and shape us whether we realise it or not. We shouldn’t entertain what brings us into sin or what doesn’t glorify God but rather stay away from such things. This can also be people. If you have friends who are constantly swearing, acting or saying inappropriate things, it is affecting you.
There was this woman I found extremely funny and though I loved her sense of humour and other things, she would swear constantly. Something me and my sister noticed is whenever we watched her video. It could just be 2 minutes, and I feel slow. My body would feel extremely tired, I wouldn’t feel any energy but drained inside but as soon as I stopped watching her, I felt vibrant and filled with energy again. This would happen every time till I couldn’t even tolerate 10 seconds of her videos without being bothered and tired.
When you grow closer to God. The more your tolerance for sin is weakened. You don’t feel comfortable just listening or watching anything out of not having that desire anymore. It’s very different to being paranoid, some people would tell me how they feel overly fearful or like they are disappointing God when they read no Christian book, the issue is not the books itself but the influence behind it. Books aren’t a sin but what it does can be sinful. We shouldn’t throw our TVs out the window and remain in a room all day. That’s not what the fear of God is, that’s just fearing God but out of paranoia. What I’m talking about is that as you grow in faith, you’ll be more distanced from the world. You’ll begin to discern (pick and choose) what you should listen to and what you can’t. You’ll begin to discern what is something you can entertain and what is not.
You can watch things but not like the world watches. You speak but not as the world speaks. You read books but with the awareness that you have a God that you love deeply and will not engage in things that will bring you further from Him.
I didn’t realise when I stopped watching some things until someone would point it out or I would look back at something and realise I stopped doing/watching certain things.
Our tongues can declare things. There is power in what we say, declare, pray and confess. Whether that be negative or positive, our words can cut and build.
Yet Jesus calls us to use our words for His glory just like anything else. Our mouths must confess what is true, honourable and kind. Our mouths shouldn’t just say anything because what they will say will be impactful.
When we think of our tongues, we need to think of what we want to be remembered by and who we want others to see
I’ll use Philippians 4:8 as guidance. It speaks of what we meditate on. Our words come from what we meditate on and what is inside of us.
Philippians 4:8
NKJV
Meditate on These Things
8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.
1) Whatever is true
We should speak truth. The Bible says who the truth sets us free (John 8:32) and we have the gospel. Whatever we speak we should be mindful of whether it’s true it false. Are you deceiving people? Are you misleading them? Is what you’re going to say contrary to the word of God?
Jesus told nothing but the truth. He didn’t lie or mislead people. He didn’t say anything contradictory to the will and way of the Father.
What we should speak is the truth.
2) Whatever is noble.
Mark 7:14-25
ESV
What Defiles a Person
14 And he called the people to him again and said to them, “Hear me, all of you, and understand: 15 There is nothing outside a person that by going into him can defile him, but the things that come out of a person are what defile him.”17 And when he had entered the house and left the people, his disciples asked him about the parable. 18 And he said to them, “Then are you also without understanding? Do you not see that whatever goes into a person from outside cannot defile him, 19 since it enters not his heart but his stomach, and is expelled?” (Thus he declared all foods clean.) 20 And he said, “What comes out of a person is what defiles him. 21 For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, 22 coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. 23 All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.”
What is righteous must come out of our mouths not what is unholy. What we should say should reflect a good character and heart just like Jesus. Whatever is righteousness, good and reflects Christ is what we should say.
We need to keep in mind if what I’m about to say is something noble. An example is if something is playing and you make an inappropriate joke or comment, it’s subtle yet you know its root is from a place of perversion. Making such perverted jokes doesn’t reflect anything noble but rather reflects impurity and brings others to see, experience, and hear impurity.
3) Whatever is kind
Is what you’re about to say kind? Kind doesn’t mean you can’t give constructive criticism or reprimand someone. Kindness refers to the way you say, mean and do things. Everything we do should flow from a place of love primary for God and then others. If our hearts are motivated by love, even our necessary criticism, speaking, and arguments will be kind because it’s coming from a place rooted in God’s love and love for others. Seeking for others to be edified and not destroyed.
Ask yourself what you’re about to say and think to be something kind. Often when people hurt us and I’ve been there too, I would meditate on ways I could’ve responded. Before I was saved, I would always imagine scenarios of telling people off and think of all the great lines I would say to get people back. I wasn’t motivated by love (to see them change, grow and be edified) but by anger, resentment, bitterness etc.
When we are in anger, resentment and bitterness, our words, tones, actions etc can become contradictory to who Jesus has called us to be but if we ask Christ to fill us with HIS LOVE and to help us love others, that anger turns into sympathy. That resentment into fervent prayers for the person to change. That bitterness turns into praying for their salvation.
4) Is it just
Is what you’re about to say unfair? Is to racist and wrong? Is what you’re about to say unjust? God is a God of justice, not injustice. He is a God who vindicates and defends.
An example is when Moses’s siblings and some people were gossiping and slandering Moses (Numbers 11-17). God got angry and gave Moses’s sister leprosy. God in the end will judge us because His a righteous judge.
Is what you’re about to say to falsely incriminate someone? It is to get revenge. Is to ruin people’s reputations and to cause division. It is to cause arguments fights and chaos. It is to harm and mislead others. It what you’re about to do because you got bribed? Is what you about to do a deceitful plan and testify to cause harm?
5) What things are lovely, pure and of good report?
If what you’re about to say is lovely, pure and coming with a good report. You know what the source is. We are called to speak life not death into things. The reason why we should speak things that are lovely and pure and of good report is because it glories God. The Bible tells us to glorify God with all we do and when we do this, we reflect the heart of God. God is lovely, God is pure and there is nothing of reproach we can have against God.
There shouldn’t be an impurity in our words. Our words shouldn’t be vulgar and filled with wickedness. It shouldn’t be filled with cursing and wrong words but it should be to speak life and speak Christ.
6) If there is anything praiseworthy and virtue
If what we are saying something that someone can praise God for. People may not always appreciate what we say and might get offended but if what we are saying is something that angels can rejoice in and God takes pleasure in, that’s what matters.
Our words should bring glory to God. What we say should be wise and honourable. It should be something angels can applaud.
For something to have virtue can speak of godliness. Our words should testify we are women of God. That we fear God. That we love God. That we honour God. That we worship God. That we serve God. That we respect God. That we know God.
This isn’t just about our words but this all applies to what we write, post, share etc. We should always take that pause to know if what we are doing is glorifying God or not.
-etty
