Words are Magnetic
“Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body.” Proverbs 16:24
My children love trivia. They recently told me that the tongue was the strongest muscle in the body. Since I am never certain of the validity of their sources, I decided to double check. I found much debate on what is actually the strongest muscle. However, there is no argument over the massive power of the tongue, especially for its small size.
James describes it like this. “We can make a large horse go wherever we want by means of a small bit in its mouth. And a small rudder makes a huge ship turn wherever the pilot chooses to go, even though the winds are strong. In the same way, the tongue is a small thing that makes grand speeches. But a tiny spark can set a great forest on fire. And the tongue is the flame of fire.”
God has given each one of us a small tongue that is very powerful. Our words are magnetic. They stick on the ears they fall on. We need to choose what we say carefully.
The tongue is a tool that we can use to discourage or encourage others. We can use our words to tear others down or build others up. With our tongues we can offer encouragement and kindness. “I really am glad you are a part of my group.” “You did an amazing job today.” We can also put others down with ridicule and sarcasm. “What makes you think you are so great?” “That’s the dumbest thing I have ever heard anyone say.”
Laughing at others failures or making fun of a person may get a laugh from a few people, but it often leaves a painful wound. A wise person learns to guard his tongue.
Proverbs says “whoever keeps his mouth and his tongue keeps himself out of trouble.” Colossians encourages us to “let our speech always be gracious.”
Remember, words are magnetic. They stick. And once they are spoken, we cannot get them back. Think before you speak. You might have a little tongue, but it has a lot of power.