"Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and they who indulge in it shall eat the fruit of it [for death or life]."
Proverbs 18:21 (Amplified)
Did you ever go by a construction site and watch as workmen built a building? First a foundation is laid, then the floor, the walls, and the roof are all put in place; it can take some time to do it right but with diligent work it will happen. Sometimes it is just laying one brick after another in a lengthy process that ultimately results in a fine structure. Just like a building is built brick by brick we can build up the lives of others with our words; our words can be building blocks of life, strength, health, and encouragement.
Have you ever seen a building being torn down? A building that took a long time to be built can be destroyed in a very short time with a wrecking ball. The building may have had a good design and dedicated workers who took the time to carefully put together each part, but once the wrecking ball starts to swing it all comes crashing down. When we use our words in the wrong way, when we speak negative, critical words, then we are using our words like a wrecking ball and we can tear other people down with the words we speak.
Sometimes the only words people have heard were the negative kind about how they are no good and they will never amount to anything, those are the kinds of words that are like the wrecking ball. We need to choose our words carefully and build things into other people. We can share words of hope and strength saying that no matter what is happening that we serve a God who will help us; we can use our words to encourage others and tell them that they can achieve great things. We have the choice about the kind of words we will speak, let's choose the right words that will build people up and not the kind of words that will tear them down.
Proverbs 18:21 (Amplified)
Did you ever go by a construction site and watch as workmen built a building? First a foundation is laid, then the floor, the walls, and the roof are all put in place; it can take some time to do it right but with diligent work it will happen. Sometimes it is just laying one brick after another in a lengthy process that ultimately results in a fine structure. Just like a building is built brick by brick we can build up the lives of others with our words; our words can be building blocks of life, strength, health, and encouragement.
Have you ever seen a building being torn down? A building that took a long time to be built can be destroyed in a very short time with a wrecking ball. The building may have had a good design and dedicated workers who took the time to carefully put together each part, but once the wrecking ball starts to swing it all comes crashing down. When we use our words in the wrong way, when we speak negative, critical words, then we are using our words like a wrecking ball and we can tear other people down with the words we speak.
Sometimes the only words people have heard were the negative kind about how they are no good and they will never amount to anything, those are the kinds of words that are like the wrecking ball. We need to choose our words carefully and build things into other people. We can share words of hope and strength saying that no matter what is happening that we serve a God who will help us; we can use our words to encourage others and tell them that they can achieve great things. We have the choice about the kind of words we will speak, let's choose the right words that will build people up and not the kind of words that will tear them down.
1 comment:
Jim, my years BC (before Christ) were only wrecking-ball words. I got saved and my life was transformed. Sat under an extraordinary Bible teacher - a Rhema grad - and when I learned of this Scripture, I parked in it. And God transformed even that part of my life. Hallelujah!
I know firsthand the destructive force of words and now the life-giving, life-building force of words.
I love how you likened it to a wrecking ball on a building. Great post.
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