So too, though the tongue is a small part of the body, it boasts of great things. Consider how large a forest a small fire ignites. And the tongue is a fire. The tongue, a world of unrighteousness, is placed among the parts of our bodies. It pollutes the whole body, set the course of life on fire, and is set on fire by hell. James 3:5-6 HCSB
For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. Hebrews 4:12 HCSB
When we think of weapons of mass destruction, we think of weapons used by the military. We think of machine guns, hand grenades and of course there are nuclear weapons, which are really scary.
Today I want to talk about two weapons of mass destruction that is at the disposal of each and every one of us, the tongue and God’s word. If we could live by God’s commands and teach our tongues to do the same, we would do well. But James 3:8 tells us that no human being can tame the tongue, it is like a restless evil, full of deadly poison. So, does this mean that we shouldn’t even try? Not when you consider what we are told in Matthew 12:38, that everyone will give account on the day of judgment for every empty word we have spoken. Some of us may be there a while, just sayin’.
Our words can get us into trouble, but God’s word can get us out of it. God’s word is like a compass that guides us on the right path (Psalm 119:105). It has many functions as we are told in 2 Timothy 3:16-17, that all scripture is breathed out by God and is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work. God’s word is able to save our souls (James 1:21). It will be used in judging us on the Great White Throne of judgment (John 12:48). Ephesians 6:17 describes God’s word as the sword of the spirit. Ephesians 6:10-18 gives us the armor of God. The sword of the spirit is the only defensive weapon noted.
With our own tongues, we can hurt people’s feelings, we can destroy relationships, we can destroy someone else’s character. We can destroy ourselves if we are not careful. But with God’s word, we can defend ourselves against the evil one. When the devil tempted Jesus in the desert, Jesus used God’s word to defeat him. We can do the same. When the devil uses another person to anger us or tempt us to sin, we can use God’s word to stop the attack. I have personally used this one several times in the past few years and let me tell you, it works! It stops them in their tracks. So, rather than all this endless blame game and ya-ya back and forth, just use God’s word and put an end to the insanity.
My grandmother used to tell me that if I didn’t have anything good to say about someone then don’t say anything. Well, this hold true for us today. Our scripture passage for today tells us that God’s word is sharper than any two-edged sword. It will defend us. Our mouths when using our words, will only get us into trouble. In today’s age of technology I should also include our keyboards.
When I worked probation and parole, I used to be able to listen to someone talk for a few minutes and tell you with a great deal of accuracy if they would be able to successfully complete their probation or parole. I am sure many officers working today have that same ability. The bible addresses this in Matthew 12:34 when it says that the mouth speaks from the overflow of the heart. If you really want to know what is in someone’s heart, just listen to the words coming from their mouth.
If you are using your mouth to destroy others, you may want to reconsider. You see, God’s word will defend against evil. This is our job and this is where we are to stop. Judgment and vengeance are God’s job (Romans 12:19). I have spent many years of my life trying to do God’s job and failing miserably. If you really want to lighten your load, give it all up to Him. Ask Him to fill your heart with His Holy Spirit so that the words coming from your mouth will be His words. Pray before you speak. And lastly, ask yourself this question, is the words coming from your mouth spouting corruption or are they building up and giving grace to those that hear them (Ephesians 4:29)? Proverbs 12:18 tells us that rash words are like sword thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.
Our words are often destructive and sadly, they are self destructive. We will give an account for every empty word that comes out of our mouths. Please try to think about this before your speak.
God’s word is good, it can destroy evil. I don’t know about you, but I would rather destroy evil than destroy myself. That to me, seems like a no brainer.
Have a great day!