“Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit” (Proverbs 18:21).
Mastering the use of our tongue is one of the greatest feats any person—and especially any Christian—can accomplish. Our tongue is a powerful tool in the treasure chest of our life.
Unbridled and careless use of our tongue can bring about the destruction of relationships we have taken years to build or the destruction of great ideas or projects people have invested enormous amounts of time to plan and execute. Figurative death is the result.
Disciplined and careful use of our tongue, on the other hand, can be a vibrant force in forging relationships that will last a lifetime or in pushing forward ideas that can result in more good than we could ever imagine. Figurative life is the result.
Each of us must live with the fruit of how we use our tongue: either we will be an agent for bad, wreaking destruction, division, or unpleasantness around us—or we will be an agent for good that makes the world around us a better place.