This week at Youth Group we did a study on the power of the words we speak. We looked at several passages in Proverbs to get the discussion started.
Proverbs 18:21 says, “The tongue can bring death or life; those who love to talk will reap the consequences.”
Proverbs 29:11 (NIV) says, “A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise man keeps himself under control.”
Proverbs 17:27-28 says, “A truly wise person uses few words; a person with understanding is even-tempered. Even fools are thought wise when they keep silent; with their mouths shut, they seem intelligent.”
After we discussed these verses it was generally agreed that our words have great power – life and death – hello! We need to use care in the words we use. We discussed how it is sometimes difficult to control our words when we get angry, especially with our siblings (those in our own house).
I think it is often easier for us to use cutting words with those closest to us. We are guarded around new people and we make sure not to offend. With our loved ones, our guard is let down, which is a good and a bad thing. Good that we can be open and transparent. Bad sometimes that we do not hold back words which should not be said.
Next we looked at the following passage in James:
James 3:1-12
Dear brothers and sisters, not many of you should become teachers in the church, for we who teach will be judged more strictly. Indeed, we all make many mistakes. For if we could control our tongues, we would be perfect and could also control ourselves in every other way.We can make a large horse go wherever we want by means of a small bit in its mouth. And a small rudder makes a huge ship turn wherever the pilot chooses to go, even though the winds are strong. In the same way, the tongue is a small thing that makes grand speeches.
But a tiny spark can set a great forest on fire. And 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, for it is set on fire by hell itself.
People can tame all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and fish, but no one can tame the tongue. It is restless and evil, full of deadly poison. Sometimes it praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it curses those who have been made in the image of God. And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right! Does a spring of water bubble out with both fresh water and bitter water? Does a fig tree produce olives, or a grapevine produce figs? No, and you can’t draw fresh water from a salty spring.
This made us all more concerned with the words that flow off our untamed tongues! I could sense a feeling that maybe there was no hope and we were all in trouble. What can we do if we cannot tame our tongues?
Next we turned to the following words of Jesus in Matthew:
Matthew 12:33-37
A tree is identified by its fruit. If a tree is good, its fruit will be good. If a tree is bad, its fruit will be bad. You brood of snakes! How could evil men like you speak what is good and right? For whatever is in your heart determines what you say. A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. And I tell you this, you must give an account on judgment day for every idle word you speak. The words you say will either acquit you or condemn you.
Now we were all stuck. The words we say will acquit or condemn us! Good grief! What can we do to tame the evil fire that flows from our tongues?
Thank God! He shows us the key right in this passage from Matthew. Jesus said “whatever is in your heart determines what you say.” Here is the answer for us.
To tame our tongue, we must guard our heart.
If we allow good thing into our heart, good things will come out of our mouth. If we allow bad things, … you know what will happen. We must guard our heart from evil and fill it with good things!
Proverbs 4:23 says, “Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.”
Lord God, help us to guard our hearts that the words of our mouth may bring glory to you!
Reader: Please leave a comment and share any practical ways you have to guard your heart.
Passages in the New Living Translation unless otherwise stated.
