A Reflection On Words

When I am aware of the power of the tongue

Words burn. Once they’ve ignited, there is no undoing them. Once spoken, words cannot be unspoken—and because of the gossip-prone nature of the human community, words spread rapidly. It is virtually impossible to put them out.

The tongue must be tamed! Its corruption both spreads outward and works inward. Words not only distort the perceptions of others, they train our own minds to follow. A careless comment becomes a deeply held conviction all too quickly. There is no such thing as idle chatter. Words matter.

How careful are you with your tongue? Biblical wisdom has much to teach us about the power of speech. “The things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these make a man ‘unclean,’” Jesus said (Matthew 15:18, NIV). Words reveal our inner impurities, and those impurities may offend others. The childhood saying about sticks and stones simply isn’t true. Words can hurt.

So guard your tongue. It can set the whole course of your life on fire, according to James. Anything with that kind of power must be tamed.

The tongue is a flame of fire. It is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire.

James 3:6