Speak Life
Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so. James 3:10
The whole chapter of James teaches us about our words and how important they are. The words we speak have the power to activate love and faith in our lives or turn that switch off really fast. It’s not an easy task to tame your tongue – meaning to speak blessing and not cursing.
The word cursing here doesn’t mean using foul language, although that is undoubtedly a part. But it’s speaking doubt, fear, hurt, even the facts. You might be thinking, “what is so wrong with speaking facts?” The answer is that facts are subject to change when faith is activated in your life.
For example, the fact might be that you are dealing with sickness in your body. However, the TRUTH is found in 1 Peter 2:24, “by whose stripes you were healed.” The fact might be that you need finances to pay your bills. Instead of speaking the reality, talk about the truth found in Philippians 4:19, which says, “And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in Christ Jesus.”
It works the same with speaking about people. The facts might be that someone has been hurtful, rude, or mistreated you. The truth is found in 1 Corinthians 13:7, “love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” Not to mention the numerous scriptures about how to respond to those who hurt us.
If you want the blessing to come out of your mouth, you need to put more of the Word in your heart and speak what the Word says, not what your feelings or emotions are telling you. Remember to think and see others how God sees them and then speak the truth – the blessing, in love.
Dear Lord, help me put a guard over my mouth today. Help me speak words of blessing and not cursing about people in my life. Amen.