The apostle Peter learned about the power of words one day when he declared to Jesus, “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God” (Matthew 16:16). Those were potent words. In fact, the church would be built on that declaration.
But moments later, Peter contradicted the will of God with a thoughtless rebuke of the Lord (Matthew 16:22). His words were a stumbling block, a product of the kingdom of darkness. They were corrupt in a way not many of us consider; they did not Reflect God’s Reality.
“Put away perversity from your mouth; keep corrupt talk far from your lips.” (Proverbs 4:24)
Is Proverbs telling us simply to avoid expletives in our speech? Probably not. There are many forms of corruption and perversity in addition to coarse obscenities: things like gossip, deception, mindless chatter, rumors, negativity, bitterness, insults, and more.
All of these contradict the revealed Truth of God. All of these run against the current of His will. In a very real sense, they slander and misrepresent the reality and beauty of His Kingdom and His character in our world.
The Bible tells us to do away with irrelevant and improper speech. Our words do carry a certain amount of power with them, whether for good or for bad. It is our responsibility to make sure they carry power to build up rather than tear down; such responsibility reflects the glory of God rather than corrupts His image, and it honors truth rather than falsehood.
Let’s guard our words. Many passages in the Bible warn us of the importance of doing so. The tongue is no small weapon. We see evidence in the news and social media today how it harms and destroys lives and dreams. It wields power few too many realize. Let’s proactively commit to using our words honorably and with extreme care.
Have a glorious weekend. Make it better by worshiping The Lord with those who have submitted their lives to Him and for His use; yes, and they especially make His reality known through their words.
All For Jesus – Nothing More, Nothing Less, Nothing Else.
