Be Careful What You Say

The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit. -Proverbs 18:21 NIV

Proverbs 18:21 is a scripture that has literally changed my life. It says, Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and they who indulge in it shall eat the fruit of it [for death or life]. (AMPC). Our words make a difference! Everything that comes out of our mouths—whether positive or negative—has the ability to affect ourselves and others for the good or bad.

We can use them to bless or curse, to heal or harm, to build up or tear down.

That’s why what we say (or don’t say) during difficult times has a tremendous impact on our lives. For instance, we can easily speak out of our frustration without realizing that positive, faith-filled words have the power to help lift us out of a situation and change the way we feel in the midst of it. No wonder Jesus said He would not talk much after His suffering had begun (see John 14:30). It is better to say nothing than to say the wrong thing!

It is amazing how often we cause a problem by speaking careless words. Yesterday I spoke one sentence to someone, and that one sentence opened the door to a lengthy, heated conversation that ended up upsetting me and costing me a good night’s sleep. Oh, how I wish I had not said anything, but it’s too late now. The damage has been done, and I cannot do anything about it. But I can let the situation be yet another lesson on the power of words, a lesson that will hopefully help me use more wisdom in the future as I choose what to say or not say to people.

James 3:8 tells us that no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison (ESV). The apostle James also writes of how a small spark starts a forest fire, and we learn from this example that just a few wrong words can cause big trouble in our life (see James 3:5). Many times, I have wished I could take back words I spoke that created problems in my relationship with someone. We cannot tame the tongue by willpower alone, but we can ask for God’s help and learn to think before we speak. Based on Psalm 141:3, I pray daily, “God, put a guard over my mouth, lest I sin against You with my tongue.”

When trouble comes, emotions run wild, and the first thing we want to do is to talk about how we feel. What we should do instead is speak God’s Word over the situation, making comments such as these:

“This hurts me, but I believe God will work something good out of it.”

“This is hard, but God will give me the strength to deal with it.”

“I wish this weren’t happening, but it will come to an end.”

“I’m hurting, but God will comfort me and show me what to do.”

“This situation seems unfair, but I know God loves me and He will reward me if I keep doing what His Word says.”

Let’s make a commitment to be more careful about what we say at all times, especially when we have problems that stir up our emotions. Controlling our words may be one of our biggest challenges, but remember, death and life are in the power of the tongue! What you say will make a major difference in your own life and in the lives of those around you. So, begin to declare (say) the good things that God says about you in His Word—that He is with You, He loves You, and that He has a great plan for your future, no matter what messes you may be experiencing right now.

Adapted from the book Blessed in the Mess by Joyce Meyer. Copyright 2023 by Joyce Meyer. Published by Hachette Book Group, Inc. All rights reserved.

Prayer: “Father, teach me to control the words I speak so that I don’t sin against You or hurt those around me with careless words. Even when life is frustrating and difficult, give me the strength to say positive things about my life…things that You say about me in Your Word. Help me to speak life to everyone I encounter and be a light for You with every word that comes out of my mouth. In Jesus’ name, amen.”