"Speech" is a great gift from God to people. It is wonderful to speak with our tongues. However, we humans fail to manage and use our tongues after the fall of man, so the blessing is often changed into a tragedy.
Christians, reborn people, should be reborn in the spirit, mind, and body. We should also be transformed by grace during the sanctification, including our tiny tongues, hoping that good words come out of our tongues to build up people around us.
Below are ten Bible passages on tongue and speech to exhort yourself:
Psalm 12: 2-6
Everyone lies to their neighbor;
they flatter with their lips
but harbor deception in their hearts.
May the Lord silence all flattering lips
and every boastful tongue-
those who say,
"By our tongues we will prevail;
our own lips will defend us-who is lord over us?"
"Because the poor are plundered and the needy groan,
I will now arise," says the Lord.
"I will protect them from those who malign them."
And the words of the Lord are flawless,
like silver purified in a crucible,
like gold refined seven times.
Psalm 34: 11-14
Come, my children, listen to me;
I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
Whoever of you loves life
and desires to see many good days,
keep your tongue from evil
and your lips from telling lies.
Turn from evil and do good;
seek peace and pursue it.
Psalm 54:1-5
Save me, O God, by your name;
vindicate me by your might.
Hear my prayer, O God;
listen to the words of my mouth.
Arrogant foes are attacking me;
ruthless people are trying to kill me-
people without regard for God.
Surely God is my help;
the Lord is the one who sustains me.
Let evil recoil on those who slander me;
in your faithfulness destroy them.
Proverbs 12: 17-19
An honest witness tells the truth,
but a false witness tells lies.
The words of the reckless pierce like swords,
but the tongue of the wise brings healing.
Truthful lips endure forever,
but a lying tongue lasts only a moment.
James 3: 2-8 We all stumble in many ways. Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect, able to keep their whole body in check.
When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one's life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.
All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.
Proverbs 25: 11 Like apples of gold in settings of silver is a ruling rightly given.
Ephesians 4: 29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.
1 Samuel 2: 3 "Do not keep talking so proudly
or let your mouth speak such arrogance,
for the Lord is a God who knows,
and by him deeds are weighed."
Matthew 7:2 "For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."
Psalm 34: 13 Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from telling lies.
Translated by Karen Luo
