Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren these things ought not so to be. James 3:10

There is power in the tongue that can bring about life or death and growth or decay. That power can cause healing and encouragement in one’s own life and that of others, or it will allow things such as: sickness, disease, depression, death, hatred, and stagnation to live freely.

We like our words because they can actually satisfy us as though we had a five course meal, but at whose expense. We should not fill like we have gained or been lifted up in some way if another person’s livelihood has been compressed. (Proverbs 26:28) When our mouths open and words exit or when we send a written message out we have the choice to decide what is formed.

Have you ever opened a trash can and the smell of perishing food and the mixture of everything else a trashcan holds hits you right in the face? This is the same fragrance ours words produce when we are not speaking life. We can stink, and God can smell us. If we were able to take in the scent as God can we would be more aware of the responses we have while communicating. Walking around smelling like the amount of life or death that is in our tongues would either cause a smile or sicken us. However, the reality is that the aroma is not actually there to us so we need to make an effort to be aware of the thoughts, actions, and reactions we have to all the information we process. It is not because we sometimes hear garbage with our ears. It is because we receive it with our minds that it becomes a part of us, and could possibly roll off our tongues as garbage for someone else to hear.

Don’t live on repeat if the message you have is deadly. Press shuffle and wait for something good to enter your thoughts then resume to play. With a strategy like this we can begin to overcome the thoughts in our minds that cause us to distribute such an awful scent. Taming the tongue will take practice and it may not be the easiest thing if negative words, lying, deceit, and gossiping have been instilled in us. We will also need to be committed to a new way of thinking and responding for the change to transpire.

Is putting the foot of your tongue on someone else’s life really worth the hole you leave in your own spirit? No it isn’t, that leaves two lives injured. Challenge yourself and practice saying good things to others. Before death can flow from the tongue it has to develop in the mind. Stop and think, and work to lift others in your speech instead of tearing them down. Remember only you hold the power over your own tongue.  Smell good today. 

A wholesome tongue is a tree of life: but perverseness therein is breach in the spirit. Proverbs 15:4