Gary Hampton was my preacher in high school, and later he was the preacher in Valdosta, Georgia where I was a youth ministry intern for a summer in college. He shared an article this week that I think is worth sharing with you. Our words have great power to harm or encourage. Let’s all be careful how we use them – Brian

 

The news seems to be filled with people whose tongues are out of control. Bad language and hurtful words are the rule of the day. God’s people must refrain from joining in, because he tells us about the power of that little member of the body.

A rider is able to control a horse by using a bridle in its mouth. Huge ships are turned with a small rudder. A little match can set a massive forest on fire. The tongue is small like a bridle, rudder or match, but it is able to do great things, good or bad. We need to keep control of our mouths lest they damage others or commit us to sinful ways (James 3:3-5; Psalm 39:1).

 

An uncontrolled tongue is totally wicked and devastating (Proverbs 16:27; 26:18-28). It stains the whole life in its sinfulness. It can set the stage for what emotions lead us to do. Hitler’s tongue led the whole world to war. The tongue’s fire is so destructive it can only be set on fire by hell, the place God prepared for the devil and his angels (James 3:6; Matthew 25:41).

Men use the tongue to praise God (Ephesians 5:19; Hebrews 13:15; Romans 10:9-10). Yet, the same tongue is used to pronounce curses on men, effectively praying to God to cause evil to fall down on them. The one who loves God must show it through his display of love for his fellow man, who is made in the image of God (James 3:9; 1 John 4:20-21; Matthew 25:31-46; Genesis 1:26).

 

Praising God and cursing man with the same tongue is as contradictory as a fountain giving sweet and bitter water at the same time. It is as absurd as a fig tree bearing olives, a vine producing figs or a fountain producing fresh and salt water (James 3:10-12).

 

Our mouths tell others what is in our hearts (Proverbs 4:23; Matthew 15:18). Getting our hearts right with God will result in good words coming from our lips to or about our fellow man.

 

Gary C. Hampton