The (Mind-Popping, Pervasive, Palpable, Pitfall-Prone) Power of the Tongue

Now more than ever in my lifetime, plenty of people presume that talking more  is okay, that it’s good, that it’s better – but the Bible has a blistering boatload of bad news for them; you see, not only is talking more  NOT better, NOT good, and not even just OKAY… it’s WORSE! Much, much worse…

… because it’s G-U-A-R-A-N-T-E-E-D to lead to SIN!

“When there are many words, transgression (!!!) is U-N-A-V-O-I-D-A-B-L-E.” (Proverbs 10:19a, emphasis added)

But wait, there’s more!

“And about these also Enoch, in the seventh generation from Adam, prophesied, saying, ‘Behold, the Lord came with many thousands of His holy ones, to execute judgment upon all, and to convict all the ungodly of all their ungodly deeds which they have done in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.'” (Jude 14-15)

And the Lord Jesus Himself went even further, broadening it to not just words spoken against Him  but “every careless word” a person speaks!

“And I say to you, that every careless word that men shall speak, they shall render account for it in the day of judgment. For by your words you shall be justified, and by your words you shall be condemned.” (Matthew 12:36-37)

But the Bible goes EVEN FURTHER to say something so stark and significant that it’s super-startling:

“Even a fool, when he keeps silent, is considered wise; when he closes his lips, he is counted prudent.” (Proverbs 17:28)

Even with just a cursory scan through Proverbs, one will quickly come to a crystal clear conclusion: nothing in life is so dire and dooming and destructive and deadly as folly. Yet this verse provides the antidote! This verse says that there’s something which can trump and topple even folly: the tongue. Specifically, NOT USING IT!

And that those who DO are DOOMED to suffer the horrific consequences.

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

Not only in the life to come (as we saw in the passage above, from Matthew) but also in this  life.

I think that the utterly dangerous, destructive, disastrous, and downright deadly  potential of the tongue is probably most poignantly put forth in these verses (fittingly, from another earthly brother of Jesus, like just-quoted Jude):

“Now if we put the bits into the horses’ mouths so that they may obey us, we direct their entire body as well. Behold, the ships also, though they are so great and are driven by strong winds, are still directed by a very small rudder, wherever the inclination of the pilot desires. So also the tongue is a small part of the body, and yet it boasts of great things. Behold, how great a forest is set aflame by such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire, the very world of iniquity; the tongue is set among our members as that which defiles the entire body, and sets on fire the course of our life, and is set on fire by hell. For every species of beasts and birds, of reptiles and creatures of the sea, is tamed, and has been tamed by the human race. But no one can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil and full of deadly poison.” (James 3:3-8, emphasis added)

Yikes! Clearly, we would be wise to heed the pure and powerful words of warning in a certain Sunday school song from yesteryear and “be careful little tongues what you say.”