I was standing in a store, debating whether to buy a particular pair of shoes when I suddenly overheard a father erupt into a tirade at his son—maybe nine years old. He unleashed horrible cursing and destructive statements over the simplest question the boy had asked.
I didn’t know their history or what their day had been like, but I had observed them for at least fifteen minutes, and the boy had been perfectly behaved. His father’s explosion came out of nowhere, and it was all I could do to restrain myself from stepping in. My heart ached for that young boy. The words being spoken over him were harsh, scarring, and deeply abusive. I carried the weight of that moment the rest of the day, thinking about him and praying for him.
Whoever coined the phrase, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me,” could not have been more wrong.
Words have power.
God used His spoken Word to create the world. Scripture says His Word is living, sharp, and powerful. And one word from God can change your life. But destructive words can crush a spirit, wound a heart, and shape a life in ways many never realize.
Proverbs 18:21 (NKJV) says,
“Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit.”
God’s Word speaks often about the influence of our words. When we forget the power they carry, we become careless with them. Words can tear down, or they can build up. Anger and destructive speech often walk hand-in-hand. And Scripture teaches that no one can tame the tongue in their own strength. That doesn’t mean it can’t be controlled—it means we need the help of the Holy Spirit.
David understood this, and he prayed:
Psalm 19:14 (NKJV)
“Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my strength and my Redeemer.”
If your tongue has power, then you have power—because you choose what comes out of it. You can frame your world with words that honor God and bring life and blessing to others, or you can scatter words that wound and destroy.
God’s will is always to bring life.
So take inventory of the words that leave your mouth. Are they life-giving or life-stealing? Healing or harming? Do they reflect Jesus?
Pray and ask the Lord to help you speak words of life into every situation. It may become one of the greatest and most beautiful transformations of your walk with God.
Proverbs 15:4 (MSG)
“Kind words heal and help; cutting words wound and maim.”
