Let’s take a laser focus on what Proverbs has to say about our speech.
Consider, “From the fruit of his mouth a man eats what is good…”
I stared at this phrase for a bit. It says, what comes out of my mouth (the fruit) is what I eat?
Then I thought about it for a moment. Have you ever gotten really upset, maybe yelled? Right after doing so, you feel terrible. Your blood pressure is raised, and there are all sorts of other negative side effects present.
What we say, and how we say it, affects us.
It also affects others. Consider verse 12:18, “There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts…”
Proverbs has much to say about our speech—about our tongue. Sayings are sprinkled throughout it. Verses such as 12:6 // 15:2, 4, 7 & 26 // 16:27 // 17:4 & 27 // 18:4…Almost every chapter will have something to say about our speech.
In 18:21 we read that “death and life are in the power of the tongue”.
As I was pondering this situation, I thought of QH-SS-SA. I often would write those six letters across the top of my note pad as a meeting was starting.
They were my reminder to be Quick to Hear—Slow to Speak—And Slow to Anger: from James 1:19. I haven’t thought of those 6 letters for a while.
Later in James, in chapter 3, we read of the tongue.
Proverbs is making more than the oft spoken point that words have power—Proverbs is saying that words have their strongest power over the one who speaks them.
As you reflect on your speech, are there any areas where God is encouraging you to tame your tongue? Are there any patterns or themes which might be damaging you?