The danger of words

March 23, 2022 (Wednesday)

 

David is someone I can relate to. He shares his experiences along with the emotional load that comes with them. Today I want to dig into one of his psalms.

 

Have you ever found it hard to keep your mouth shut? Proverbs 10:19 states, "Too much talk leads to sin. Be sensible and keep your mouth shut." [NLT] The flavor of this verse has several meanings. For instance, the NIV reads, "Sin is not ended by multiplying words." The Berean Study Bible translates it as, "When words are many, sin is unavoidable." Ouch!

 

James 3:6 informs us, “And among all the parts of the body, the tongue is a flame of fire. It is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself.” [NLT] What is said and heard can set a life on fire, in the negative sense. Our “cancel culture” obsession is overbearing, inconsistent, and unforgiving. Instead of encouraging change, we seem only interested in destroying lives.

 

That’s why David determines, “I promised I would watch my steps so as not to sin with my tongue; promised to keep my mouth shut as long as the wicked were in my presence.” [Psalm 39:1 CEB] We do misspeak, probably more often than we would like (or admit). David does not want to sin with his tongue. One wrong word among those who are looking for offense will be seized upon quickly.

 

Sometimes it’s not always what we say, but how it is heard. Evil people will find a way to twist or misinterpret what is said. We used to call that “spin.” Even a simple statement like “God loves you” can be interpreted as a statement of hate. I feel sorry for those who do this, “What sorrow for those who say that evil is good and good is evil, that dark is light and light is dark, that bitter is sweet and sweet is bitter.” [Isaiah 5:20 NLT] Those whose minds are bent on the negative or the evil are only making life miserable.

 

Here is the trap, “The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit.” [1 Corinthians 2:14 NIV] The tendency in this world is to consider the things of God to be foolish. This tendency only darkens understanding and deepens the despair of those in that darkness. That despair is what causes them to lash out at anyone who speaks the truth to them in love.

 

But it’s a destructive cycle. “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” [1 Corinthians 1:18 NIV] What we have is a person who is about to die in a burning building blaming the ones who are warning them to get out for their pain.

 

So, do we speak or keep silent? For most, the situation seems to be a lose-lose scenario. Nothing can be done about that. However, every now and then you find someone who hears the voice of the Holy Spirit speaking to them.