What you say comes out of you, but it also goes down inside you. It goes to the stomach (18:20). Your own cursing will go deep down into your own soul. They are bitter fruits, and they will make your soul sick. You will eat your own words.

The tongue is the means by which we bring great help or harm to others and to ourselves. Speaking life words or death words will have a profound effect on others, but it will also have a profound effect on you.

We all eat our own words, and what we eat will either be sweet or bitter. What brings help to others will bring help to us. What brings harm to others will bring harm to us.

Consider this: “On the day of judgement people will give account for every careless word they speak” (Mat. 12:36). God will hold us accountable not only for what we did but also for what we said. Freedom of speech is a wonderful gift and an awesome responsibility. One day, we will have to give an account for every careless word that has come from our lips.

God hears and knows every word that you have ever spoken (Ps. 139:4). He knows every word you say in private, and every word you write online is known and weighed by Almighty God.

God holds us accountable not only for what we do but also for what we say, and when you see this, you will know how much you need a Saviour.

When have your words to others tasted sweet to you? When have your words to others tasted bitter down into your soul?

We have looked at the way of wisdom in relation to friends and family, and today we come to wisdom in our words. There are more proverbs on what we say than on any other subject. The tongue is the means by which we bring the greatest help or harm to others.

There is death in the power of the tongue
There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts (12:18). The tongue is a weapon that can wound another person deeply. If you carry a weapon that can wound, you have to carry it with great care. Words that burst out can bring deep wounds. You may have felt the power of this: “You’ll never amount to anything.” Death is in the power of the tongue.

There is also life in the power of the tongue
The tongue of the wise brings healing (12:18). Christian counsellor Larry Crabb says that as a youngster, he developed a humiliating problem with stuttering. One Sunday Larry found the courage to lead a public prayer for the first time.

“Stuttering throughout, I finally thought of the word Amen… said it and sat down… solemnly vowing never again to pray or speak aloud in front of a group.

“When the service was over I darted for the door… An older Christian man named Jim Dunbar intercepted me… ‘Larry,’ he said… ‘Whatever you do for the Lord, I’m behind you one thousand percent.’

“Even as I write these words, my eyes fill with tears… Those words were life words. They had power. They reached deep into my being. My resolve never again to speak in public weakened instantly.”

Can you think of a time when someone’s words brought healing to you? Look for opportunities to bring life to others through your words.

The only commands that are life-giving are the words and commands of God. But here is a father who has made God’s words his own: “My teaching. My words. My commandments.” What he commends to his son is what he pursues himself. That is the power of example.

If you are a parent, a great motivation for living a godly life is to give your children a credible example to follow. “God’s words are the words I believe. God’s way is the way that I follow.”

How are you going to do that? The way to walk in obedience is to walk by faith. A life-giving relationship with God is based on trust. Solomon says, to his son, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding” (3:5).

You can’t say that to your children unless you are doing it yourself. So, trust in the Lord with all your heart, especially when it comes to your children!

Scottish pastor William Still never had the joy of being a father, yet he gave this wise counsel to parents: Bring your children up in faith, not fear. Trust God with your children. You fear what sin can do to them. Trust what God can do in them. You fear the pressure of school, media, and culture. Trust what God can do through His Spirit and His Word.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Give your children reason to think, “My father and mother trust God, even when it comes to me!”

Who can you be an example for in the next generation?