The Mouth is a Powerful Tool

​One of the most powerful tools that every person has is their mouth.  While some use this tool to bring about good things, others choose to use it to bring about bad things.  The mouth, more biblically accurate as the tongue, has the power of death and life inside it (Proverbs 18:21).  Although some may say they have control over their mouth the fruit of their life may reflect a different story (Proverbs 18:21).  Every person’s life is a product of the mouth they have used while living. If a person has a bad life, it is generally from the mouth confessing that evil report over themselves.  Even when a person has had bad situations dealt to them those that arise from the ashes use their mouth to confess the change that is coming and bring it to pass.  The mouth declares faith.  Faith in a car brand, faith in a sports team, faith in God, or a lack of faith in God.  What the mouth speaks depends of the person.  This is why the mouth is a powerful tool that every person has at their disposal to use to build up or to tear down.  People use this powerful tool in an array of methods.  Lying, gossip, slander, and guile are all sins of the mouth that people tend to fall into while others choose to run to sin with their mouths.  The mouth reflects the true character of the heart.  Jesus discussed that the mouth of a good man out of the good treasure of his heart will produce good while the mouth of an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart will produce evil (Luke 6:45).  What kind of treasure do we have within our hearts?  The answer is revealed in what comes out of our mouths.  Lying is defined as untrue statements.  Lying no matter what size or means is an abomination unto God (Proverbs 12:22).  Gossip is defined as revealing personal or sensational facts, rumors, or chatty talk.  Gossip will be another person’s blood on the gossiper’s hands before God (Leviticus 19:16).  Slander is defined as to defame someone, false charges or a misrepresentation.  Slander brings an evil report that is incorrect (Numbers 31:32).  Guile is defined as duplicity, deceitfulness, or only telling the good part to make oneself look good or correct.  Guile should not be found in the mouth of people (Psalm 34:13).  Why do so many choose to use this powerful tool for a source of evil when the same tool can be used to build so many good things?  Why not talk to God in prayer about things that have been heard as opposed to gossiping to everyone about the same issue?  Some might say, “But the other person and I talk about praying for them after we discuss the story.”  That is code for being religious and making oneself feel better about their gossiping.  That is still gossip in God’s eyes.  A good rule of thumb to keep from gossip is to consider what is being said, who it is being said to, and what can that person do to correct the issue.  If that person does not have the authority to fix the situation it is gossip.  Proper uses of the mouth are prayer (1 Timothy 2:1), exhortation (Hebrews 3:13), edification (Romans 14:19), blessing (Genesis 49:28), thanksgiving (Hebrews 13:15), declaring (Job 22:28), and professing (Hebrews 10:23).  The mouth is a powerful tool that everyone will be judged for before God (Matthew 12:36-37).  May we all use this powerful tool correctly.