“But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men…” (James 3:8-9)
It is amazing the power that words have. Words may be harmless by themselves but when put together with other words can become extremely harmful to others. Words like: “I hate you,” “You are worthless,” “You will never amount to anything,” can scar a person for life!
Many relationships and marriages have been destroyed because someone carelessly said the wrong words and before they knew it, the relationship was over!
ANGRY Words Can HURT Others
(Prov. 14:17) says, “He that is soon angry dealeth foolishly…” Many marriages have been permanently destroyed because someone spoke something foolishly out of anger. They didn’t really mean what they said, but it didn’t matter because the damage was already done. Be careful of your words during a disagreement because they can do more harm than you intend. For instance, the word “divorce” should NEVER be used.
CRITICAL Words Can DISCOURAGE Others.
Some parents don’t realize how they are harming the spirit of their child by always being critical of them. Nothing they do is ever good enough. Therefore, their child feels as if there is no need to even try because they can never please their parents. Critical words can also destroy the spirit of your spouse as well.
ENCOURAGING Words Can BUILD UP Others
You never go wrong by encouraging others. Try to find some way to encourage your children and spouse every day and just watch their countenance light up! Everyone loves encouragement.
So, how can we tame our tongue? First—surrender your tongue to God. Let God control your tongue and not your emotions. Second—think before you speak!
Do these two simple things and you’ll be surprised how your relationships change.