The Tongue: How We Use It Shows What Kind of People We Are

Have you ever watched a war movie in which a soldier is holding a hand grenade that already had its pin pulled? That soldier is pretty careful about what he does with the grenade because he knows one false move can detonate it with disastrous results.

Words can and often do end up being spoken as verbal grenades. And even though we have been told from little on of the importance of choosing our words carefully, we seem to think that we shouldn't be held responsible for what we say. "After all," we rationalize, "they're only words."

What we say can lead to devastating pain, but our words can also bring a supernatural healing to the lives of those around us. Which leads to the question, "If our words can be of such a great benefit to others, why do we so often use them in ways that bring others down?" Not only is that a valid question, it is of the greatest importance in the examination of our spiritual lives. What we say on a daily basis gives us snapshots of the inner recesses of our soul.

As we continue our study of the Old Testament book of Proverbs this Sunday (June 26 at 10:00 am), we will discover what our words reveal about what is in our hearts. What we find may not be comfortable, but it will lead us to the only One who can help -- Jesus Christ.