by Dr. Paul Chappell
“For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another. This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.”
Galatians 5:13–16
In November of 2014, an Australian homeowner found an unpleasant surprise on her front porch—a poisonous brown tree snake nearly five feet long. The animal control expert who responded to her call for help determined that the snake was dead. The unusual thing was that its fangs were buried in its own back. A veterinarian who examined the snake reported that it appeared to have died from its own poison.
There are few things more damaging to the body of Christ than bitter and unloving words. Whether these are spoken to the individual directly, or whispered against them behind closed doors, words matter. They carry great weight, and can cause great harm. Solomon pointed out this enormous responsibility when he wrote, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof” (Proverbs 18:21).
And many times, like the Australian brown snake, if we are not careful about our speech toward others, we will find ourselves the victim of our own poisonous words. The problem is that if our tongue is guided by the flesh rather than by the Holy Spirit, our words will not encourage and edify others. Left unchecked, negative words bring death and destruction. While we may only intend for that harm to come to others, if we plant a crop of criticism, gossip and slander, we should not be surprised to receive the same in return.
Today’s Growth Principle:
The power of the tongue makes it essential that we choose our words to and about others with great care.
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