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TONGUE: IT’S “ALL” THERE…
Death and life are in the power of the tongue,
And those who love it will eat its fruit –
Proverbs 18:21
“Sticks can break bones but a lashing tongue can break hearts”, “Beware!
Tongue is in a wet place, it can slip easily” are some of the quotable quotes
about the human tongue but the Scriptural quote which touches the heart deeply is
the one which I have quoted above. To bring in an element of seriousness,
let’s look at the translation of the said Scripture in The Living Bible
Those who love to talk will suffer the consequences. Men have died for saying
the wrong thing!
In this essay, I am inspired to look at both the negative and positive
aspects of the words emanating from the tongue.
Slaughter…
Consider this Scripture…
“…So forty-two thousand people of Ephraim died there at that time.”-
Judges 12:6
The last thing the Nation of Israel wanted after warding off the External
Ammonite aggression
(Judges 11 )
was a civil war but it was unfortunately triggered
by the rude, crude words of the Ephramites against the God-appointed leader Jephthah
(Judges 12:4 ).
The temperamental Ephramites (perhaps priding in the fact that Joshua-the great leader- who conquered the
Promised Land belonged to their tribe) had gotten-away with the similar proud demeanour
with one of the God-ordained previous Judges (Gideon-
Judges 8:1 )
but not so with Jephthah. Did not somebody say “Do not let your tongue cut-off your head”!!!
Stampede…
“…for the people trampled him to death at the gate!”-
2 Kings 7:20
Who was the person who was trampled at the gate? Let’s hit the re-wind button and visit Prophet Elisha’s
home which had an angry visitor (the troubled Israeli King who was at his wit’s end as a consequence of a
terrible famine caused by the Syrian forces besieging his Capital city of Samaria).
Look at the Prophet positive outlook borne out of his unshakeable faith in the God of miracles.
“The Lord says that by this time tomorrow two gallons of flour or four gallons of barley
grain will be sold in the markets of Samaria for a dollar!”-
2 Kings 7:1.
In stark contrast to the words of the Prophet, emanated words of scorn from the
King’s assistant belying his lack of faith…
“That couldn’t happen if the Lord made windows in the sky!”-
2 Kings 7:2
The result? The curse of the Prophet came to pass as the guilty one was
in no mood to humbly confess of his contemptuous words…”
“You will see it happen, but you won’t be able to buy any of it!”
After focusing on the two negative examples of wrong words which caused doom and gloom let’s
now reflect on some positive cases of words spoken with positive faith which are worth emulating…
Sacrifice…
“Stay here with the donkey,” Abraham told the young men, “and the lad and I will travel yonder and worship,
and THEN COME RIGHT BACK.”-
Genesis 22:5
Hey, Abraham was supposed to sacrifice his beloved son Issac on Mount Moriah and come back ALONE. Isn’t it?
The faith of the Father of faith on God’s goodness was unshakeable. Let the Scripture take over…
“He believed that if Isaac died God would bring him back to life again; and that is just about what happened,
for as far as Abraham was concerned, Isaac was doomed to death, but he came back again alive!” –
Heb 11:19 (TLB)
Dear Friends, it is one thing to believe that God exists (even demons do that –
James 2:19 )
but it is quite another to believe that God who exists has our best interests in His loving heart
(He is LOVE –
1 John 4:8 ).
No wonder from the abundance of faith in his heart
(Luke 6:45 ),
Abraham spoke the words which would come true. Say Christian are you facing a dicey situation in your life?
A major operation when there is still so much of “unfinished business for the Master”…speak these words
to your family and the hospital staff…“My God in whom I trust, will bring me safe and sound through this operation”.
Shunemite…
As she approached Mount Carmel, Elisha saw her in the distance and said to Gehazi,
“Look, that woman from Shunem is coming. Run and meet her and ask her what the trouble is.
See if her husband is all right and if the child is well.”
“Yes,” she told Gehazi, “EVERYTHING IS FINE.”-
2 Kings 4:25-26
Assuming for a moment my committed Readership is already aware of the background,
I have no reservation in stating that if you want see the pinnacle of positivity in speech…this is it!!!
There she was… the hospitable Shunemite lady firmly believing that God’s miracle is already on the way,
even though her son lay dead in the Prophet’s bed back home
(2 Kings 4:21).
Boy, was she not virtually
pronouncing the power of resurrection on her sun-stroke stricken, dead son?
No wonder, towards the end indeed “everything turned out to be fine”.
The dead boy came back to life courtesy miracle of the Prophet Elisha
(2 Kings 4:27-37 ).
Say fellow sojourner, art thou down in the dumps? Speak out…that the good Lord would bring you out of it for His glory
alone and see the results thereof for yourself!!!
Sword…
“…Today the Lord will conquer you, and I will kill you and CUT OFF YOUR HEAD; and then
I will give the dead bodies of your men to the birds and wild animals, and the whole world will know that
there is a God in Israel! And Israel will learn that the Lord does not depend on weapons to fulfill his plans—he
works without regard to human means! He will give you to us!” –
I Samuel 17:46-47
Welcome to good ole’ David versus Goliath story! Welcome once again to that fabulous account of
faith in action which throws up newer insights, every single time we read it.
Now in this mortal combat the Shepherd boy David (as we all know) was equipped with a mere slingshot and five stones.
So how could he with that weaponry cut-off the giant’s head? Quite simple…in his faith, David envisaged the
foe collapsing soon to the stone directed at his forehead and the rest would be history. Doubtless,
on the stone sinking into the Goliath’s forehead, an unseen angel pushed him forward. So instead of the behemoth
falling backward which would have been natural, he fell forward. Reason? Facedown, there would be no resistance
from the fallen enemy to David’s actions.
Soliloquy…
The most famous soliloquy in English literature may be “to be or not to be” (thanks Mr. Shakespeare)
but in my book it is one of the bleeding, impoverished woman…
“SHE SAID TO HERSELF, "If I only touch his cloak, I will be healed." –
Matt 9:21
There is such a creative force in the tongue, just as she soliloquized the moment she touched the Saviour’s garment
(just the hem of it), she was healed. Hey, diseases and unholiness are infectious but good health and holiness aren’t
in this sin-accursed World
(Haggai 2:12-13 )
but when the Master (Jesus) is involved in the scheme of things, holiness and good health become “contagious”.
Talk of water flowing backwards and upwards against gravity…Hallelujah!!!
Salvation…
For if you tell others WITH YOUR OWN MOUTH THAT JESUS CHRIST IS YOUR LORD
and believe in your own heart that God has raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
For it is by believing in his heart that a man becomes right with God; and
WITH HIS MOUTH HE TELLS OTHERS OF HIS FAITH, CONFIRMING HIS SALVATION -
Romans 10:9-10
Quite self-explanatory, isn’t it…the above-captioned Scripture portion!!!
Put simply, our Salvation itself depends on we using our tongue!!! Say Reader, in case if you have not yet
“tasted” with your “spiritual tongue” the Redemptive love of the Saviour, why not you say
this prayer using…hmmm …your tongue
“Father, I am a sinner by birth. I believe that you sent your holy son Jesus Christ to die on the
cross of Calvary for my sins. This very hour I accept Him in my life as my Lord and Saviour.
This very moment grant me a new life just as it is promised in
John 1:12
and fill my heart with Heavenly joy. In Jesus’ my Saviour’s Name, I pray. Amen.”
If you have said it, your name will be registered promptly in the Lamb’s Book of Life
(Rev 20:11-15 ).
So long folks…theology ought to end with doxology. Therefore in conclusion, let me say that the Angels and
everyone in the universal Church would do well to use their tongues in mouthing a loud HALLELUJAH!!!
Suresh Manoharan
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