The Power of the Tongue

"God gave you a brain – use it!" Okay, maybe no one ever said that to you, but it illustrates a point: God gave us the parts of our bodies for a reason. What about your tongue? What is its purpose?

Well, it's not just for tasting Rocky Road ice cream (though that is clearly a heavenly design!). Your tongue was given to you as an organ of expression. We use language to express our thoughts, feelings, suggestions, complaints, and you name it! But specifically we are to express ourselves in two ways:

1. Offering praise to the Lord

2. Encouraging others

The former is amply evident from the Bible (Psalm 89:1, Hebrews 13:15). The latter is also evident, though often ignored. Consider the power of the tongue for destruction and grace-giving:

"Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear." Ephesians 4:29

Your words can actually be a means of grace used by God for building other up in a way that perfectly meets their needs! That is an awesome high calling! But watch the tongue as well – it can also tear down and destroy in a moment what took build up (James 3:1-12).

So, how are you going to use your tongue today? Isaiah gives us a picture of the proper use of the tongue:

"The Lord GOD has given me the tongue of those who are taught, that I may know how to sustain with a word him who is weary. Morning by morning he awakens; he awakens my ear to hear as those who are taught." Isaiah 50:4

You can be used to sustain those who are weary with the words you use! But you have to have the ear of one taught! What does that look like? First, morning by morning you must look into God's word to you. Look for words that sustain you. Then look for words that you can take along with you to sustain others.

During the day, use your ear to listen to the needs and concerns of others. Then, while you are praying with them (please do pray with them!), bring that sustaining word to bear in your prayers. In fact, it's better to pray it that to quote it! And watch how God encourages the both of you. What a privilege to be a grace-giver and soul-sustainer, all with the power of the tongue!

The well wisher of your soul's happiness,

Pastor Tom