“Whoever offers a thanksgiving sacrifice honors me, and whoever orders his conduct, I will show him the salvation of God.” (Psalm 50:23, CSB)
What we say and how we say it matters to God. It should also matter to us. The Bible reminds us, “With the tongue we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in God’s likeness. Blessing and cursing come out of the same mouth. My brothers and sisters, these things should not be this way. Does a spring pour out sweet and bitter water from the same opening? Can a fig tree produce olives, my brothers and sisters, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a saltwater spring yield fresh water.” (James 3:9–12, CSB) What we say and how we say it reveals our heart.
Just so we are on the same page. What the Bible warns to avoid is course talk. Those swear words are nothing new but are much more common in the public sphere than ever. Related yet different are words of cursing where harm is spoken to another. And lastly, false words. Those may be outright lies or shades of truth to manipulate another. Those concerning what we say, but what about the how we say things part of this.
The Bible says, “Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you should answer each person.” (Colossians 4:6, CSB) This doesn’t mean that we can’t say hard-to-hear words but that we say those words with a view of how another will receive them.
Our words matter because it is through our words that we proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ to the world. If our tongue is worldly, bitter, biting, or false, how will anyone believe our witness of God’s grace and love?
Beyond being a truthful witness, God also blesses conversation that blesses others with truth, grace, mercy, and love. “Who is someone who desires life, loving a long life to enjoy what is good? Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from deceitful speech.” (Psalm 34:12–13, CSB) And “For the one who wants to love life and to see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit,” (1 Peter 3:10, CSB) There are many such promises in God’s Word and God keeps his promises.
Guarding our hearts and our tongues requires self-examination. When we hear ourselves saying something untruthful, unkind, ungracious, or course, we must ask, “Where did that come from?” Where in my heart is that coming from? What sin still lurks there? Is there unforgiveness? Bitterness? Fear? Pride? Anxiety? God will reveal it to us if we ask Him.
Other verses for this promise (Compiled by David Wilkerson)
- Psalm 50:23
- Psalm 34:12-13
- Proverbs 15:4
- Proverbs 15:23
- Matthew 12:37
- Romans 10:9-10
- Proverbs 16:24
- Proverbs 21:23
- Psalm 24:4-5
- 1 John 4:15
- Matthew 10:32
- Proverbs 16:23
- Proverbs 10:31-32
- Luke 21:15
- 1 Corinthians 12:8
- Proverbs 16:1
- Hebrews 13:5
- 1 Peter 3:10
- Proverbs 12:19
- Psalm 15:1-3
- Proverbs 15:1
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