Pondering Proverbs

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

A Greek philosopher asked his servant to provide the best dish possible. The servant prepared a dish of tongue, saying: “It is the best of all dishes, because with it we may bless and communicate happiness, dispel sorrow, remove despair, cheer the fainthearted, inspire the discouraged, and say a hundred other things to uplift mankind.”

Later the philosopher asked his servant to provide the worst dish of which he could think. A dish of tongue appeared on the table. The servant said, “It is the worst, because with it we may curse and break human hearts; destroy reputations; promote discord and strife; set families, communities, and nations at war with each other.” He was a wise servant.

The power of the tongue for good or ill is seen throughout the gospels. Do you remember the centurion who came to Jesus seeking healing for his sick servant and said to Jesus, “Just say the word from where you are, and my servant will be healed.”

Later, James in his letter writes, “ With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water. (James 3:9-12)

God’s Word is trying to tell us that your words display who we really are. Problems, stress, troubles, and trials will force what is really inside out. What do we say when we are stressed? What do we say to the people in our lives when we are aggravated, annoyed, frustrated, and angry? What comes out of our mouths?

I recently read, “When it comes to speech we are verbally schizophrenic and we have a bipolar mouth. We can bless one minute and curse the next. It’s like the Christian driving down the road listening to Christian music singing along and worshiping God then out of nowhere someone pulls out in front of him and the Christian begins to curse the guy saying all kinds of bad and evil things toward him. Blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth.”

Well may we pray these words from Psalm 19

Clean the slate, God, so we can start the day fresh!   
Keep me from stupid sins,  
from thinking I can take over your work;
Then I can start this day sun-washed,   
scrubbed clean of the grime of sin.
These are the words in my mouth;    
these are what I chew on and pray.
Accept them when I place them    
on the morning altar,
O God, my Altar-Rock,   
God, Priest-of-My-Altar. Amen (The Message)