Then I said, “Woe is me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I live among a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts. Isaiah 6:5
I have never really thought of myself as a gossip, but I have certainly found myself (as I am sure we all have) talking about people behind their backs.
At times I would have told you that I was simply letting a brother or sister in Christ know that another brother or sister needed prayer. The harsh reality is that even a prayer chain (a prayer chain is a list of people in the church who call one another and share the prayers needed by other members of the congregation) can be an instrument of gossip. Remember, that Christians are sinners who are forgiven by the blood of Christ, not perfect, forgiven.
I have also spoken in anger, bitterness, lies, hatred, foul language, etc.. And, I tell you with great remorse and repentance that the those who could testify most to my despicable tongue, is my children.
We don’t often think about how dangerous the words that we speak can be. I heard an evangelist say that all 10 Commandments can be broken by our words. Most of us would say, that is not true, and would go directly to thou shalt not murder (Exodus 20:13). Scripture says that “The tongue can bring death or life; those who love to talk will reap the consequences. Proverbs 18:21 (NIV). If you think that words can’t murder, speak to an adult (who was verbally abused as a child, you will quickly see that their lack of self worth and confidence are the dead bones of the life that would have been.
As a follower of Jesus Christ, if our words are gossipy, hurtful, angry, bitter or deceitful, they rob God of glory and push people away. If a follower of Jesus Christ speaks words that push people away from them, and that rob God of glory, those words have probably pushed people away from God as well. If you think our words can’t murder, ask the family members of a loved one who passed away and who rejected God because they were hurt by someone who said they were a Christian. Our words may have been what the enemy used to keep them from accepting Christ and the eternal life that He offers. Without Christ we have to pay the penalty of our sin and that penalty is death (For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23). Sounds a little like murder now, doesn’t it?
Apart from murder we can also destroy someone’s reputation, their self esteem, rob them of joy, keep them from being in the center of God’s will and cause them to sin as well.
The 3rd Chapter of the Book of James speaks harshly about the tongue and its power. James starts off by saying “For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body.” James 3:2. In other words, if our speech is always perfect and glorifying to God, then we are a perfect person able to control our whole body and keep it from sin. No one, but Jesus, can do that.
Then we read, “So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water.
Remember when you were younger and someone would curse and someone else would say “do you kiss your mother with that mouth?”. We should ask ourselves a similar question when bitterness, anger, foul language, deceit or gossip cross our lips, “do you bless your Heavenly Father with that mouth?” How do we bless Him with the same lips that tear those He loves down, those who were created in His very image?
Sometimes it is not even what we say, but the motivation of our heart, because “what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person.” Matthew 15:18. The scripture tells us that “the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” Jeremiah 7:9. But God, and only God can and will judge our heart and what comes out of it (I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, Matthew 12:36).
But, remember when we read “The tongue can bring death or life; those who love to talk will reap the consequences. Proverbs 18:21 (NIV)? It doesn’t just bring death, it can also bring life! If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. Romans 10:9. It can bring about eternal life.
And, not just for us, the Apostle Peter, explained that it was by his mouth that God wanted gentiles to hear and come to know the Lord (And after there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, “Brothers, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe.” Acts 15:7 and “And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” Mark 16:15).
If Matthew 12:36 is true (and every word of scripture is true and breathed by God – “Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.” John 17:17.) we will give an account for every careless word that we speak. Should that not lead us to monitor every word that passes over our lips?
And if, through our words, God can bring life shouldn’t we be speaking life into the lives of those around us?
I pray that we would be more mindful of the fact that our tongues can be a deadly weapon. I pray that we would monitor and guard very word that escapes our lips. I pray that our tongues would become instruments of life, precious eternal life. And, I pray that we would follow the example of King David (whom the Scriptures refer to as a man after God’s own heart, in 1 Samuel 13:14), and that we would all pray “Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer. Psalm 19:14”. Speak life brothers and sisters, precious, eternal life.
If you do not know Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior and have, like the rest of us, struggled with the words that escape your lips, I pray that you would pray the prayer that is outlined on our Life Preserver page (https://forgiven-n-loved.com/life-preserver/). God loves you so much that He sent His one and only Son to die on the cross to pay the penalty for your sin (and mine). Only through his forgiveness and indwelling of the Holy Spirit (that takes place the moment you pray) can we ever control our tongues and use them for good (both ours and others). Please pray this prayer, “confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” Romans 10:9.
Once you have prayed this prayer, please reach out to me at admin@Forgiven-N-Loved.com, I’d love to be in prayer for you.
Luv Ya!
