January 20 - Watch Your Words

The words that come out from your mouth are an expression of your inner life, they are declarations of what you really are. To understand a person, you can always hear what he says. We communicate with one another through speaking and we express our thoughts also through our mouths. Other than the eyes, the mouth is the most important life-expression tool.

When the psalmist laments the absence of godly and faithful people, he gives a very accurate picture of the works of the wicked by what come out from their mouths. Our lies always reveal the insincerity of our hearts, we are deceptive and try to paint a different picture in front of others. A denial of reality is the beginning of mental illness and lying always brings us closer to an eventual divorce from all reality.

Words of flattery are rooted in the manipulation of others. By throwing praises at others, we may gain some advantage for ourselves. A flattering tongue, again, allows one to control others while making them feel good. It is the opposite of rebuking others to make them feel bad or guilty. Both are attempts to control others.

The third type of dysfunctional words are the words that are inconsistent that come from a divided or double heart. We all experience splits in our lives, sometimes we want to serve God and sometimes our own selves. When you serve two masters, your words would become split. You know God can do it but you still try to attempt to solve your own problems. In our speaking, we would use meaningless religious jargons to cover up our insecurities.

Another type of words is boasting words. Proud people want to impress others by over stating their own achievements. The root is pride and it is rebellion against God who is the greatest. If we praise ourselves, we have to not praise God that much. When the self is getting bigger, God is getting smaller. Boasting words and a proud heart are both sinful.

Using our tongues to control, manipulate, impress or deceive others only reveal a deeper problem: our desire to oppress others and at the same time we rebel against God. We declare our independence from God and set up our own little kingdom and act as little kings. Our lips are actually saying, “With our tongue we will prevail, our lips are with us; who is master over us?”

The antidote to these kinds of lips is the Word of God. Only when you have His pure Word could your words be changed. His Word can transform your inner life and subsequently the words you speak. Do you have a plan for taking in His Word?