The Tongue!

The Tongue!

Proverbs 18:21 KJV

[21] Death and life are in the power of the tongue: And they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.

We look at a part of the human body that is critical to its impact and survival. As we know, the physical tongue is key to one of the senses by which we can taste. By extension, it is one of the channels by which we receive things into our bodies that can lead to either good or bad outcomes. The tongue tells us if something is good for us or not. It tells us if it is sweet, bitter or sour. Now, that is about what needs to go into our bodies. There is also the use of the tongue for what comes out of our bodies. The tongue is a means of expression; we reveal what we know or do not know by the things that we say or do not say. We let people know our stand on issues by the position we take, and that position would usually be revealed by the tongue. What this tells me is that the tongue has both physical and spiritual implications by its use or misuse and I will do well to understand how this works for me and how to ensure that there is always a good end to its use. 

The verse above says clearly that death and life are in the power of the tongue. This is quite a powerful statement. By its creation and existence, it is by nature prone to sin. It does not get born again by accident: it has to be a deliberate and intentionsl change. I will have to school it right if I want it to produce the right kind of fruit. It means that I must spend time on the right things, auditing out what is not beneficial to me, and spending time on what is. How would I know what is good and right for me, if I do not spend time with the Way, the Truth and the Life? Where else am I going to get practical counsel and viable advice, outside the One who is very committed to my earthly and eternal purpose? Just as Christ is invested in my present and my future, so is the devil only interested in how my past can be the only present and future that I have. He wants to keep me in sin so that I will struggle with God's demands and expectations from me. 

This is why God's grace is quite critical to this journey of redemption. The verse above warns about the dangers of the wrong use of the tongue, as well as the benefits of the right use of it. As always, the choice of consequences is mine to make. God does not leave anyone in doubt about the end of all life, and the results of any choice made. I get to choose how I will prepare for whatever is coming. Whatever I love is what I will spend time with and also expend energy and effort on. If I love to see good fruits, I had better invest in good seeds, and take the time to nurture and grow them properly. The tongue is used to praise God, and can also be used to curse men. With it, we encourage men to great exploits, and with it, we can also knock a man into depression and suicide. It is not too late to change the fruit if you don't like what you see now. God's grace is sufficient for the demand He places on us. God's time of favour is here.