There are scriptures in both the Old and New Testaments about out of the mouths of babes and infants …
“And Jesus replied to them, “Yes; have you never read [in the Scripture], ‘Out of the mouths of infants and nursing babies You have prepared and provided praise for Yourself’?” (Matthew 21:15, AMP)
This is the positive outcome (praise) that comes from our mouths. Do you take time every day to offer up a time of praise to the One who has given all for you?
“Through Him, therefore, let us at all times offer up to God a sacrifice of praise, which is the fruit of lips that thankfully acknowledge and confess and glorify His name.” (Hebrews 13;15, AMP)
From a different perspective, do you ever listen to yourself? Do you hear what you say? Is what you say what you want to say… and to the person/people you want to say it to? Is it true or only opinion” And how do you present this… as fact? Especially when you are referring to you, how is it you present you? What escapes your lips and is truth spoken in love? (And yes, I know I’ve written on the power of our words before… bears repeating.) If you knew for a fact that what you said would always come to pass… would you try and be more intentional?
The power of words, the power of hearing what is said is far more influential than we realize. However, there’s also the opposite… have you ever been in a position of trying to catch the words out of your mouth and have them not heard? I have, more times than I’d like to remember. Many times this happens when my anger rules and I am ‘dressing down’ someone, but someone who doesn’t deserve it. It’s then that I remember the scriptures that talk about our words, our tongue.
“Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it and indulge it will eat its fruit and bear the consequences of their words.” (Proverbs 18:21, AMP)
“The good man, from his [inner] good treasure, brings out good things; and the evil man, from his [inner] evil treasure, brings out evil things. But I tell you, on the day of judgment people will have to give an accounting for every careless or useless word they speak. For by your words [reflecting your spiritual condition] you will be justified and acquitted of the guilt of sin; and by your words [rejecting Me] you will be condemned and sentenced.” (Matthew 12: 35-37, AMP)
Many scriptures speak to the power and subsequent ramifications of the tongue. And then there is the scripture that says…
“In the same sense, the tongue is a small part of the body, and yet it boasts of great things. See [by comparison] how great a forest is set on fire by a small spark! And the tongue is [in a sense] a fire, the very world of injustice and unrighteousness; the tongue is set among our
members as that which contaminates the entire body, and sets on fire the course of our life [the cycle of man’s existence], and is itself set on fire by [a]hell (Gehenna).
…
Out of the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. These things, my brothers, should not be this way [for we have a moral obligation to speak in a manner that reflects our fear of God and profound respect for His precepts].” (James 3:5-6, 10 AMP)
Goodness! This is not the outta the mouths of babes and infants. And, equally important, it should not be in evidence in ours.
Then there are those occasions when what you said wasn’t heard as what you meant. Those are the stickiest of situations. I’ve come to the conclusion that if I want my message to be understood then it’s critical not to give mixed messages (that my previous behavior reinforces the words). And it is equally important to discover if the listener(s) have heard what I meant as well as what I said. Do I check to make certain what they understand? Are my choices of words those that aren’t weighed down by multiple definitions? Sometimes the old, ‘keep it simple stupid’ is appropriate. One can always expand when the foundation is understood.
The point in all this is the we should never underestimate the power of our words and the ripple effect they can have. When we realize what Jesus said to the Pharisees who wanted Him to silence the people
“Jesus replied, “I tell you, if these [people] keep silent, the stones will cry out [in praise]!” (Luke 19: 40, AMP)
