Proverbs Scriptures that will help you tame your tongue!

Proverbs 15:4 “A wholesome tongue is a tree of life, But perverseness in it breaks the spirit.”

In this verse of scripture the Lord is giving the example of a tree; in order for it to produce fruit it needs to have the proper sustenance, care, and support so that it can flourish successfully. The same concept applies when you are trying to give advice, suggestions, guidance, or feedback to the people that you love. You want to choose words that are beneficial, loving, positive, and calm but will still get your point across. The way that you say something will truly make all the difference in how the person on the receiving end interprets it. The Lord makes it extremely clear about how He feels when we use harsh, cruel, spiteful, and offensive conversation with one another. He refers to it as breaking one’s spirit because of how damaging and hurtful words can be. Now when it comes to children we have to be even more careful and aware of our tone and approach when speaking to them. The fact is that they cling on to every word that you speak and look to you to set the example of how they should conduct themselves. God frowns upon any type of harm that comes to little children and expresses in His Word that His kingdom belongs to them. Take note and be cognizant of the manner in which you choose to vocalize your opinion, expression, or viewpoint because at the end of the day it really does matter.  

Proverbs 26:20 “Where there is no wood, the fire goes out; And where there is no talebearer, strife ceases.”

Have you ever heard the familiar phrase “don’t add fuel to the fire?” A small situation that could have easily been contained turns into something unattainable simply because of outside sources. The Lord through this Proverb is showing us the repercussions of having a tale bearing or gossiping spirit. Someone that spreads rumors, chatter, and slander about another person wants to cause conflict and their intentions are never good. The Holy Spirit is bringing to our attention how we should handle these kinds of circumstances; we need to end the bad-mouthing right then and there. Never should you entertain a person that is coming to you talking about someone else, it really does speak volumes about your integrity and questions whether you are even a Christian. You need to ask yourself: “why is this person so comfortable coming to me with their scandalous conversation in the first place?” Lies spread about other people can truly cause irreparable damage to someone’s reputation and character amongst their peers. As Christians we want to be careful about the words that we speak and guard our ears from the words that others speak to us. You might be the only representation of God that another person will ever see and how unfortunate it would be if you stain your witness for Christ solely because you chose to gossip!

Proverbs 18:21 “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit.”

Life and death is literally in the power of your tongue. When you come to the realization of how true this statement actually is, you will most definitely watch what you say. You can speak blessings or curses over your life or the lives of those around you by the words that come out of your mouth.

For instance, if you find yourself saying things like:

“I’m always going to be poor or I will never make enough money to pay my bills.” You have now come into agreement with the lies that the enemy has been feeding you about your financial situation and have now spoken it over your life. You have done exactly what the devil wanted; ensure that poverty remains over your finances. God’s Word tells us to hold every thought and imagination into captivity that is contrary to His Word. The Lord tells us that if we work hard, we will gain a profit and He promises us life in abundance. Begin to speak blessings over your finances, proclaim the Word of God, and refrain from negative speaking. Get into your bible and learn about what God says in regards to changing your financial circumstance and follow the laws that the Lord gives you. When you do that you will begin to see your economic condition change from a place of lack to prosperity. This is what God desires for every one of His children.

Another example is speaking harshly to your children. Saying things like:

“You are never going to amount to nothing,” or “why are you always so lazy you’re never going to get a job!” This kind of speech will make it difficult for your child to succeed including getting a job that they are qualified for. Why? Your negative speaking has just placed word curses over them and consequently; they will face challenges in several areas of their lives and not understand why. We wonder about our children’s actions because it seems like they can never get past their insecurities, uncertainties, indecisiveness, and fears that they possess. It is a direct result of people around them making them feel unworthy by the harsh words that are said to them. If they hear the same thing long enough, they will begin to believe it as true. What the enemy does is use what you say with your mouth as a verbal agreement against you and your loved ones. He will take full advantage of the fact that you don’t understand how the spiritual realm operates. As Christians we legitimately lack knowledge when it comes to how the enemy’s kingdom functions but we are held accountable to learn of his devices. Whether we want to believe it or not life and death really is in the power of your tongue!

Proverbs 12:18 “There is one who speaks like the piercings of a sword, But the tongue of the wise promotes health.”

Have you ever had someone say something to you that cut so deep if felt like a sword was piercing through your body? The unfortunate part about it is that most of the time hateful words are spoken to us by the people that we love the most. Often times we don’t realize the damaging and long lasting effects that the words others say to us have on our lives. This is especially the case when malicious statements are said to you at a young age. Your childhood years should be filled with love, positivity, encouragement, and direction so that you can grow up to be a confident and self-assured individual. This most definitely is not always the case. The same thing goes for relationships; a couple will get in an argument and all of the respect, kindness, and courtesy goes right out the window. The person that you love with all of your heart has now become your enemy and you make sure to let them know exactly how you feel with painful words that leave wounds for years to come. It is so important to take a pause in heated moments and think before you speak. In this Proverb the Lord is expressing to us how significant it is to promote healthy dialogue in every circumstance. A wise person will ensure that any message conveyed is delivered with love, encouragement, motivation, and discretion.

Proverbs 26:24 “He who hates, disguises it with his lips, And lays up deceit within himself;”

This particular Proverb is so powerful and it affects every single one of us in one way or another! We have all befriended people that we latter come to realize that they were really camouflaged hata’s wanting nothing more than to see you fail. These are the ones that you have to be extremely cautious about because they will not let you know what they truly think about you. Someone possessing this kind of character will act like they are your friend speaking thoughtful but pretentious words all the while concealing the animosity built up within them. Be on guard that you do not get deceived! By having the spirit of discernment you can identify when a person like this is in your midst. They are tricky, shady, and calculating and never have good intentions for you or your well-being. The Lord brings to our attention in this verse of scripture how people with evil motives get exposed. He makes it clear to us that someone that has that much hatred in their hearts can only disguise it for so long, the reality of how they genuinely feel will eventually come out in one way or another!