A Tool For Good Or Evil
One of the greatest gifts that God has given to us is the gift of speech, and with it we can communicate with each other and express what we think, what we feel and what we believe.
Can you imagine what it would be like not to be able to talk? There are those who can’t.
If you think about it, our voices can be tools for great good. We can talk to the Heavenly Father on behalf of others and ourselves. We can speak forth about love, the gospel of Jesus Christ. We can sing praises to our Heavenly Father. We can teach and train and motivate and encourage and warn—and we can express loving devotion to one another with our voices, a great tool for good.
Likewise, it can be a tool used for evil. We can mislead people. Our words can cause division, can discourage, can destroy. We can cause hurt and pain. We can cause all kinds of difficulty and hardship with our voices.
It’s a matter of how we choose to use our voices.
Psalm 19:14
Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.
David is saying I want to be pleasing to God, and to be pleasing to God, Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable, in thy sight, O LORD, my strength and my redeemer because the meditations of our heart will be the expression/words of our mouth.
There are only five chapters in the Book of James, and one of those chapters deals with speech, the third chapter. In James 3, he’s talking about the tongue:
James 3:6
And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.
Galatians 5:19-26
19Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. 22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. 24And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. 25If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. 26Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.
The Bible commands us to love one another, called agape love. There are nine listed “fruits” of the Spirit but only one “fruit.” We receive all nine manifestations.
Let’s examine ourselves and see if we are a mature Christian. We need to inspect the fruit of our lives. The mark of maturity is determined by what kind of fruit we are bearing.
What is the description of agape love? The answer is found in 1 Corinthians 13. There are ten kinds of agape love. Let’s check our lives and see if these ten qualities are in our lives. Then we will know if we are mature Christians.
1 Corinthians 13:4
Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up.
Steadfast love. You don’t give up on anyone, whether or not they return your love.
James 3:13
Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? Let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.
John 13:35 (Jesus speaking)
By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
John 13:1
Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end.
True love is longsuffering. It is patient; it forgives and keeps on forgiving, 70 x 7 times.
Matthew 18:21-22 (Jesus answering Peter)
21Then came Peter to him and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Till seven times? 22Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.
Luke 17:4 (Jesus speaking)
And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.
True love is serving love. Agape love is kind. Kindness is serving. True love doesn’t give us what we deserve, but what we need.
Luke 6:27-28 (Jesus speaking)
27But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you, 28Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you.
It is sincere love.
I Corinthians 13:4
Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up.
One rejoices when one is blessed. He is not envious.
Proverbs 14:30
A sound heart is the life of the flesh: but envy the rottenness of the bones.
If you’re an envious person, you’re not a loving person; you’re not a mature Christian. True love enables you to be humble, not proud. Pride and love cannot dwell in the same heart. You cannot be big-headed and big-hearted at the same time.
The words of our mouth: Gossip
This is not something that some people do; this is something that all of us have done, and often people do it, and don’t realize what it is manifesting within them and outwardly revealing. Let’s look at the very nature, look at the character: what does the Word of God say about this whole idea of gossip?
It is a universal sin. Nobody is above it or beyond it, except by the power of God and the armor, which He has commanded us to put on. Read
Ephesians 6:11-18
11Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. 13Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; 15And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. 17And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: 18Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.
When the armor (armour) is put on daily, there will be a change of attitude and action because you and I will no longer see it as a casual habit we have developed. We won’t see it as a joking matter. We’ll see it as God sees it and we’ll detest it and we will refrain our tongues from this sin.
Gossip is idle or malicious talk about someone, with the desire or intention to hurt or harm them in some fashion. What is the traveling companion of gossip? No Respect.
In Galatians 5:13 we are told “By love serve one another.” Malicious gossip has no love expressed and serves no good purpose.
Galatians 5:13
For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.
Gossip—Remember Me?
My name is gossip. I have no respect for justice. I maim without killing. I break hearts and ruin lives. I am cunning and malicious, and gather strength with age.
The more I am quoted, the more I am believed. I flourish at every level of society. My victims are helpless. They cannot protect themselves against me, because I have no name and no face. To track me down, is impossible. The harder you try, the more elusive I become. I am nobody’s friend. Once I tarnish a reputation, it is never the same. I topple governments and wreck marriages. I make innocent people cry in their pillows. My name is Gossip.
As King David, may I, too, pray:
Psalm 19:14.
Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.
