Watch Your Words: They Both Build and Destroy

Our words spoken in Scripture are figuratively called “the fruit of his mouth” or “the fruit of his lips”. Also, again figuratively speaking, our words can produce life or death in the hearer. They are extraordinarily important and, like our actions, we are held accountable for them. We are to think before we speak. Do our words build up or tear down? Amy Carmichael once quipped we are to put our words through the sieve of Scripture. Are they true, are they noble, are they right, are they pure, are they lovely, are they admirable, are they excellent, are they praiseworthy? And then she added, are they necessary? The last one probably gets most of what we say.

Scripture also tells us in Proverbs 10:19 (NIV): “When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise.” Truly, it can be wisdom to keep one’s mouth shut. A funny bumper sticker of long ago stated: “O Lord, let my words be sweet and tender for tomorrow I may have to eat them!” So very true. Don’t we often wish we had simply kept quiet?

We want our words to be meaningful, purposeful, helpful and encouraging to the hearer. Indeed, believers are to desire to build up rather than tear down in what they say. To leave the “aroma of Christ” in our every encounter and not the stench of death. Further, it is uber easy to see how our words are affecting our hearers. It is not too difficult to discern how what we say either strengthens or damages those in our spheres. It is easy to read the faces of those to whom we are speaking if we simply take the time to notice. Breathing life over our hearers rather than the stench of death. Oftentimes, simply by our presence or our actions, those in our spheres benefit and words are not even necessary. Our mere presence can encourage without even speaking. Just as Job’s friends did at first – they grieved with and for him without saying a word. It is when they opened their mouth’s that they got into trouble. The ability to hold one’s tongue and to simply be quiet is oftentimes truly wise.   

We can also be prideful in our words as well. “Pride made the boaster a beast, as once before it made an angel a devil”, Spurgeon once wrote. Scripture also tells us that pride comes before destruction. A haughty spirit before a fall. This is a heads up for all believers in Christ Jesus. Haughty eyes are sickening to the Lord of Hosts. What do we have that we did not receive and if we did receive it, why on earth would we boast? Why indeed? We are to let our words build others up rather than destroy, strengthen rather than cause our hearers to stumble and to encourage our hearers to grow up in Him Who is the Head and the Author and Perfecter of our faith.