“The tongue spills out what the life contains.”
“May I see your tongue?” That’s what the doctor asks us when we visit his office for consultation. It is a well-known fact that the tongue serves as an index to our physical condition. Likewise, the tongue is a good index to our spiritual condition. Jesus Himself said at one time, ” … out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh” (Matthew 12:34). Our words definitely reveal our character, although many of us seem to be unaware of that fact.
If you were walking from the well carrying a bucket of water and someone jostled against you, there could be spilled from the bucket only that which it contained. As you walk along the way of life, you are constantly being jostled by people. If your life is full of ill nature, bad temper, and ugly disposition, those things will be spilled from it. If it is full of Christian spirit, you will spill a smile or some pleasant remark as people bump into you. You can spill from your bucket only that which it contains.
THE TONGUE DEFINED
In the Bible, the tongue is called ” … an unruly evil, full of deadly poison” (James 3:8). It is spoken of as false, lying, froward, naughty, perverse, backbiting, and deceitful. There are six things which God hates; seven are an abomination to Him. Of these seven, three peak of the tongue: ” … a lying tongue … ” (Proverbs 6: 17); “A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren” (Proverbs 6: 19).
THE POWER OF THE TONGUE
Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, made this statement, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue … ” (Proverbs 18:21). How true! Think of the jurist who must use his tongue to pronounce either the death sentence upon a man or to declare his innocence. But spiritual death and spiritual life are also in the power of the tongue.
Spiritual death has been defined as “anything which separates one from God.” What power the tongue has here! How many people have listened to the words of atheists, agnostics, infidels, Christ haters and rejecters, and have gone down to spiritual death – eternal separation from God!
The tongue also has the power to bring spiritual life to others. Millions have heard the words of eternal life from the lips of others and have believed them and received spiritual life, eternal life, as a result. Faith comes by the hearing of God’s Word. Jesus said, ” … He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life … ” (John 5:24). It has ” … pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe” (1 Corinthians 1:21 ).
We have the glorious privilege and opportunity of using our tongues to proclaim God’s Word, thereby bringing spiritual life to others. What greater or more worthwhile use could we make of our tongues?