The Power of Language and Speech
By: Gundula Sohr - Werdau, Germany
Language is something wonderful. Through language, we humans are connected, and our Creator also uses language to communicate with us. He makes His will known to us through language.
Our language is something unique that God created for us. Animals also have communication systems, and there is even research on communication between trees of the forest and between other plants.
However, we are the only beings who can make conscious decisions about our expressions, which means that they do not happen purely instinctively, nor are they generally necessary for survival.
With words, we can do both good and harm. With words we can express love, show joy, give help, comfort and encouragement. On the other hand, like Satan, through words we can lie, question the truth, express dislike and hatred, let out pent-up anger and aggression.
With words, we praise and confess God and can ask Him for forgiveness. Through our speech, we can thank God for His forgiveness and for our salvation.
As with everything, God and Jesus have created a way to communicate both in us and for us; there is a plan for how and for what it should be used. Indeed, the use of "everything God has created…is sanctified by God's word [and by prayer]" (1 Timothy 4:4-5). So the Bible also contains hints and warnings for the use of our language. How exciting to find out how God wants us to incorporate human language into our lives and use it for our faith. In doing so, He also wants to lead us to recognize and become capable of not using our speech but to be able to refrain from speaking.
In some biblical passages, God expresses Himself openly and drastically. In Proverbs, chapter 13:3, God recommends and warns, "He who keeps his mouth shut preserves his life; he who shoots it off threatens destruction." Obviously, most of us will understand the life to be preserved as our physical one. Likewise, we will assume that the threat mentioned refers to the destruction of our bodies and their integrity. This is certainly a valid assumption. However, we do not necessarily have to imagine a situation in which a person's expressions cause so much aggression and loss of control in his counterpart that a murder will be committed. Even a word thought out and spoken calmly, for example, to a doctor seeking approval or disapproval for a proposed treatment, can have life-sustaining or life-threatening effects. Ananias and Sapphira were punished by death on the basis of a few verbal statements that were not true (Acts 5:1-10).
However, likewise for our psyche, words from an open mouth can be just as devastating as a closed mouth can be invigorating. By this, I do not only mean situations in which we are being struck, hurt, and questioned in our whole self by the words of another. For me personally, it is at least as hard to bear that my own words have hurt and crushed another person. Both experiences, unfortunately, stick in my mind for a very long time. Both experiences have physical effects such as weakness, insecurity, loss of energy. However, the worst experience is when I have caused the hurting and crushing of another person myself because this is also a violation of God. Not only am I guilty because I have hurt my fellow man but because I should have known and been able to do better; I sinned against the Lord despite receiving all the advice and support I need from Him to "tame my tongue" (James 3:8).
I need to take His advice seriously and let the power of His Spirit work in me. Human advice, on the other hand, has virtually no effect on me. I have never managed to “count to ten” or “take a few steps out into the fresh air” so as not to "defile" someone and, thus, myself by rash and bad remarks (James 3:6).
In the Proverbs of the Old Testament, God gives us much information about the effects of our speech. Our Creator equally gives us warnings not to be fools and doers of harm, but rather He motivates us to be beneficial and peacemakers.
In the New Testament, however, God presents to us how we can show Him through our speech and through our non-speech that we are "created human in [His] image" (James 3:9). By looking at the power of speech through God's eyes and respectfully handling it according to His instructions, I get the chance to implement His plan for us creatures. And I get the opportunity to grow in character as a Christian. If I take Paul´s advice and "Let the Spirit of God rule [my life]”, not only will I be able to resist the lusts of my own flesh (Galatians 5:16), but then God has promised to grow fruit in me: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness and self-control. Each part of this fruit can be expressed through words or can act as a trigger for withholding words!
God knows best. I can only advise myself and my sisters that "where there is need, [have] a good word that helps and benefits everyone" (Ephesians 4:29). Or, with the support of the Spirit, have no word. The experiences of having managed to keep silent have often been very happy and relieving experiences for me. Although I often feel urged to simply complete the facts with an utterance or to present a matter fairly - which, however, can be completely unnecessary and hurtful - I have managed, with His help, to refrain from doing so. How surprised I was then when, as a result of my silence, another person said something very useful or something loving that would have been prevented by my words. Or peace just came. This wonderful experience with the power of speech is something I wish for myself and my sisters to be made again and again.