5 Things Proverbs Says About Our Words Muestra

Day 1: Our Words Matter

God cares about our speech, and there’s never been a more important time than right now to be reminded of this truth. 

David’s son, Solomon, understood well the power of words. The wisest man in all the world often reflected on language in his Proverbs:

"There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings healing" (Proverbs 12:18 ESV).

"Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits" (Proverbs 18:21 ESV).

Death and life are in the power of the tongue. And, we might say today, the power of the thumb. Words can create or destroy; they can uplift or condemn. They can reflect the Word by which God has spoken, or they can echo the whispers of Satan. 

If Solomon saw fit to warn the people of God in the Old Testament of the power of words, how much more today should God’s people heed what God is speaking to us about how we speak? We live in a world with a vast and seemingly unlimited economy of words. There are more ways to communicate today than at any time in human history.

This devotion will help us better understand that as God’s people, we are called to speech that honors Him. As we read through Proverbs, Solomon will remind us that our words matter—to others and to God. 

It may seem at times that stewarding our communication, especially the easy and free way we communicate online, is next to impossible. But we should remember that Jesus, God’s final word, has spoken a word over those who have turned to Him in faith. He declares in His word that we are justified, and we are transformed. Jesus has conquered death and has given us God’s Holy Spirit to help us tame our tongues and our thumbs.

• How do your words glorify God? 
• What defines “Christlike speech?"