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Every word we speak has power. They can do a lot of good, or a lot of harm. Obviously, as Christians representing Jesus Christ, especially in the workplace, it’s so important that we learn to use our words for good. It’s a lifelong education, but one we need to embark on very seriously.
The Bible says a lot about talking too much. Proverbs 17:27 says a man of knowledge uses words with restraint, and a few verses later it tells us that a fool delights in airing his own opinions, and that it is shameful for a person to answer before listening.
How much do you talk versus how much you listen? Are you always airing your opinions, quick to tell everyone how you feel about any and every subject that comes up? A smart person doesn’t do that. Do you think God is sending us a message by giving us two ears and one mouth? Try listening twice as much as you talk. James says we should be quick to listen and slow to speak.
Proverbs 20:19 says to avoid a person who talks too much. Why? Because they’re shooting off their deadly weapon all the time, and you could get hit!
Have you noticed that if you just keep talking long enough, pretty soon you’ll say something you shouldn’t? Proverbs 10:19 says when words are many, sin is not absent. Do you have a reputation for talking all the time? Then chances are good that you say much that is inappropriate, because many words lead to sin.
Do you remember what Jesus said about idle words? In Matthew 12:36-37 we read, “But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”
This passage tends to stop you dead in your tracks! Just think about what Jesus said. We will be held accountable on the day of judgment for our idle, careless, unnecessary words. That just blows my mind, as I think about all my careless words.
How can words acquit you? Well, Romans 10:9 says, “If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” Those are the words that will acquit you—set you free from the punishment you deserve. Have you declared with your mouth that Jesus is your Lord? Have you repented of your sins and asked for God’s forgiveness? Do you believe that God raised Jesus from the dead and Jesus is your life? If so, you are forgiven and made a new creation in Christ.
However, there will be a judgment seat of Christ for believers, where we will give an account of our stewardship of our time, our talents, our opportunities. And Jesus said that all those needless, idle, careless words we’ve said will stand in judgment against us. I imagine it as a gigantic recorder, replaying all my words as I stand at the judgment seat.
All who are true Christ-followers need to be aware that our words can be used against us so that talking too much is not a laughing matter. It’s something to take very seriously. Jesus says we’ll give account for all those words.
And you know, once you say something, you can’t “unsay” it. You can apologize; you can ask for forgiveness, and certainly we should do that. But the words can never be “unsaid” and often the damage cannot be undone.
It’s very clear that we can inflict heavy damage on others by the words we speak, but have you ever thought about the damage you do yourself by speaking inappropriately? Our own words have an incredible influence on our attitudes, on our emotional stability, and on our physical health as well.
Let me give you a simple example. I have noticed that I can make myself truly exhausted by telling myself how tired I am. Without thinking about it, I say, “Wow, I’m really tired.” Now, maybe I am genuinely tired, but as soon as I hear those words, I’m more tired than I was. And if I say those words enough—and sometimes once is enough—I become totally useless and completely unmotivated. No wonder; I told myself I was tired, and I believed what I heard.
It’s referred to as self-fulfilling prophecies. We’re frequently victims of our own words. Think with me what would happen if instead of saying “I’m tired,” I said, “This has been a really good day. I got a lot of things accomplished and I feel good about that. Now, I want to do some other things before time to quit.” Those words would have a totally different effect on me.
The words you are speaking are having a great influence on your attitude, your productivity, your motivation, your self-respect. We are all in a battle to keep from being swallowed up by the negative world around us. One of the best things you can do to fight that negativism is to speak out loud positive words for your own self to hear.
Don’t say, “I’m tired,” even if you are. It will just make you more tired. Don’t say, “I’m afraid,” even if you are. You’ll be more frightened than ever. Don’t say, “I can’t do that,” even if you have doubts. Your words will insure your failure.
A listener communicated with me that she was struggling with many things in her life at the time. She was having financial difficulties along with everything else, and she said that she was due to have a review by her boss the next week, and he had promised her a raise, but she knew he wouldn’t give it to her.
She spoke those negative words about her upcoming raise. Now, what harm could those words cause? Well, convincing herself she’s not going to get the raise will undoubtedly affect her performance, don’t you think? It could easily cause her to have a sour and negative attitude toward her boss. Do you think her boss might pick up on that attitude? Good chance. It might even affect his decision about giving her that raise.
Her words of fear and doubt could very well be self-fulfilling prophecies. Then if she doesn’t get the raise, she’ll say, “See, I knew it.” Then there will be more negative words to feed back into her mental computer and the problem will compound itself.
Here’s a thought I’ll pass along to you, from my long-time friend, Fran, and I think she’s absolutely right.
Satan is our enemy, right. And he’s out to do everything he can to defeat us. Doesn’t it seem as though he knows just what to do to get to you? We know that God knows our thoughts, but Satan and his demons don’t have that power or capability. How, then, does he seem to know so much about us and know just where to attack us?
Could it be that he hears the words we speak and that gives him all the information he needs to know about our weaknesses? You know, he’s very experienced, and he doesn’t need a lot of input to figure out where to hit us.
He hears you say a few times, “I’m really afraid of being alone. I just can’t stand to be alone.” And your enemy says, “Okay, there’s a soft spot. Fearful of being alone. I’ll work on that.” Or he hears you say, “I don’t feel well. Something must be wrong with me. I just don’t feel well.” And he says, “Well, if she doesn’t feel well, let’s make sure she continues to suffer.” Or, you say “I just can’t do that.” And he starts to work on your confidence and self-respect so that you’ll continue to think of yourself as a failure.
I believe that our words quite often give Satan his ammunition that he uses to defeat us. How else can he know all he seems to know about us? Seems to me that a smart person would make certain that she or he keeps from saying the kinds of words that give the enemy an advantage. An old army saying is “Loose tongues sink ships” because those careless words can get back to the enemy and give away secrets. We’re in a war too—a spiritual war—and our loose tongues can give our enemy an advantage.
The Bible tells us that the power of life and death is in the tongue. Why, then, don’t we use it for life instead of for death? We can do that by avoiding deadly words and speaking words that have life in them. You have that power in your tongue. The words you say can give life to others and to yourself.
Consider Provers 15:1: A gentle answer turns away wrath. If you speak with gentle words, you can dissipate someone else’s wrath. Just a gentle tone of voice, quiet and controlled, tends to calm someone down when they’re upset or angry. Words like, “I’m so sorry,” or “I can understand how you feel” have a calming effect. When you’re dealing with someone who is angry or upset, ask God to give you gentle, calm words to turn away that wrath. It will work; I guarantee you.
Did you know that your tongue has healing powers? Proverbs 12:18 says that the tongue of the wise brings healing, and the 24th verse of the 16th chapter says “Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.”
Your own pleasant words can bring healing to your own soul and bones. And they can bring healing to others, too. How? Well, pleasant words can surely heal wounds of bitterness and broken relationships. More and more the medical community is acknowledging that many physical problems have their beginnings in the mind and the emotions. And in the majority of cases those problems began with spoken words.
Timely words are delightful, the Bible says. What is a timely word? That’s when you say something to someone at just the right moment. How often people have done this for me. I’ll be having some discouragement or doubts, and someone will call or say to me a word of encouragement that simply delights my heart and picks me right out of the dumps. We need to become more and more adept at timely words, sensing when someone needs a compliment, a word of praise, or some words of comfort.
Well, the Bible sure has a lot to say about the words we speak. And there’s no question that we have the power of life and death in our tongues. I want to challenge you to join me in determining, by God’s grace, to use your tongue to bring life and not death, to yourself and to others.
We simply do not have to live the rest of our lives carrying around a lethal weapon that inflicts harm every time we open our mouths. If we are born-again and are part of God’s family, then the Holy Spirit within us can give us the power we need to control that deadly tongue.
Are you willing to allow him to do that? It begins with a submission of your will and giving God permission to work this miracle in your life. What a testimony that would be! Why should we settle for anything less? Let’s go for it.