Speak Life in 2021
As I prayed about the beginning of a new year, the Lord impressed that statement on my heart. Proverbs 18:21 puts it this way: "The tongue has the power of life and death..." The stakes are high. Your words can either speak life, or your words can speak death. Our tongues can build others up, or they can tear them down. It has been said that great minds discuss ideas, average minds discuss events, and small minds discuss people. The church that James is writing to was full of small-minded people who gossiped about each other and tore one another apart with their tongues. Sound like our world today? Now we’ve added social media to expand our reach! We are quick to avoid murder, stealing, and drunkenness, but we often assassinate each other and leave destruction in our wake by the way we use our tongues. Husbands have stabbed their wives with words that are as sharp as daggers and wives have lashed out with tongues that cut and pierce. Parents have devastated their children by repeated blasts of venom. Children have exploded at their parents with volleys that have leveled the family like a bomb.
Listen to what is written in the first chapter of James letter: “19 You must understand this, my beloved: let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger; …26 If any think they are religious, and do not bridle their tongues but deceive their hearts, their religion is worthless."
James 1:19 and 26 James actually connects words with actions. He does this because our words usually lead to corresponding deeds. Proverbs 21:23 says "He who guards his mouth and his tongue keeps himself from calamity."
The tongue can express or repress; offend or befriend; affirm or alienate; build or belittle; comfort or criticize; delight or destroy. In verses 3-12 James uses a number of different word pictures of the tongue to help us see how small, yet how powerful it is.
In one such example James compares it to a rudder on a boat. 3:4 Look at the ships also, though they are so great and are driven by strong winds, are still directed by a very small rudder wherever the inclination of the pilot desires.
Just as a small rudder can control the direction of a large ship so too, the tongue can control our lives. The rudder must be under the control of a strong hand.
After speaking to the power of a small rudder to steer a large ship, James goes on to uses the image of fire in James 3:5-6 Just like a small spark can ignite an entire forest, so too words that flow out of tongues can corrupt lives and shipwreck families. Like a careless match thrown on dry wood, so to our words can consume people. When sparks fly in our homes, firestorms can erupt creating a blazing inferno that leaves deep scars and lasting pain.
Just a small word can be so very devastating. Some of you may remember a singer Karen Carpenter. She died of heart failure at the age of 32 brought on by years of fighting an eating disorder. Afterwards It came to light that her fatal obsession with her weight was triggered by a single reviewer's comment. When referring to Karen this man called her "Richard's chubby sister." While I am sure there were other factors attributing to Karen Carpenter's struggles, this one comment unleashed a flurry of self-doubt.
Remember the saying "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me?" I do not know who came up with that line but we all know that it is simply not true.
Words can break our hearts, words can break our spirits. Broken bones can heal with time, but a broken spirit caused by words of death is not so quickly repaired.
How many people have you maimed or killed with your words? Is your tongue too quick to criticize? Do your words build up or do they tear down?
James now draws another word picture to help us see that it should be impossible for us to both bless and blast out of the same mouth. He asks this penetrating question "Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring?" James 3:11
James is saying that just as it is impossible for a spring to have both sweet and sour water, so too it is inconceivable for the tongue of a mature believer to send forth both righteousness and rumors; blessing and blasting, compliments and cursing. James is calling us to be consistent. What comes out of our mouths is a reflection of what is in our hearts.
So what are some actions that will help us tame the tongue?
First, the Book of Proverbs has 31 chapters, one for each day of the month. Why not make a decision to read a chapter each day, along with a chapter from James’ letter? After one month, you will have read through the entire book of Proverbs once and the book of James six times! Almost every chapter in Proverbs has something about the tongue. Make a Commitment to be in God's Word in 2021.
Secondly, Think” first. Are my words flames or are they flowers?" Using the acronym T-H-I-N-K; try to ask these 5 questions before you speak.
"T" Is it True? Remember this rule about gossip: ...."The more interesting it is the more likely it is to be false."
"H" Is it Helpful? Will your words help bring about a solution or a resolution to the problem?
"I" Is it Inspiring? Will your words build up or will they tear down?
"N" Is it Necessary? Do we have to say anything at all? Is the comment really necessary?
"K" Is it Kind? Are your words based on a heart that truly cares for others? Is your heart filled with Kindness?
Next, Talk Less. Your chances of causing destruction with your words are directly proportional to the amount of time you spend with your mouth open. Abraham Lincoln said, "It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt." President Calvin Coolidge said, "I have never been hurt by anything I did not say."
Proverbs 10:19 puts it this way: "When words are many, sin is present, but he who holds his tongue is wise."
Finally, Build up others. The Scriptures constantly remind us to encourage one another with our words. Do you find yourself speaking words of life or are you speaking words of death?
Chuck Swindoll tells the story about a man he went to seminary with. This man had a bright red birthmark that covered half his face. After Chuck got to know him he finally had the courage to ask him what had happened. His friend answered .by telling him what his dad told him: "Son, that birthmark is where an angel kissed your face. You have it so that I can always pick you out of the crowd." Swindoll's friend then turned to him and said, "You know, I almost feel sorry for those who don't have a birthmark." That Father spoke words of life to his son, and those words transformed a life.
If you want to be a dispenser of life words instead of a dispenser of words of death, you need to be right with God.
Paul tells us how to be right with God: "If you confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved." Romans 10:9-10:
So let’s make 2021 a year of Speaking Life! Start by getting right with God, carry on by a daily commitment to read His Word and then spread the Love of Christ with our mouths.
God’s Blessings from Pastor Dennis and the Spring of Life Community Church Family Follow us online at www.springoflifecommunitychurch.com or on Facebook at “Spring of Life Community Church – Mayville, MI”