Watch Your Tongue // Proverbs 18:21
I want us to read today’s verse in context with v.20: “Wise words satisfy like a good meal; the right words bring satisfaction. The tongue can bring death or life; those who love to talk will reap the consequences.” This brings to mind the famous Mark Twain quote, “It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt.” The idea is you never regret the foolish/harmful/hateful things you do not say. We all have those things pop into mind from time to time and we need a kind of filter to keep them from leaking. Consider what James wrote in his letter, “the tongue is a small thing that makes grand speeches. But a tiny spark can set a great forest on fire. And among all the parts of the body, the tongue is a flame of fire. It is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself” (James 3:5-6, NIV). The bottom line is we need to watch our tongues and the words we say. Yes, they can bring help or harm, war or peace, life or death. Only you can choose the words you speak, so choose wisely.
