The Lodestar

Most of us consider speech a neutral means of communication and do not pay much attention to what we say and what it does to the hearers. But the Bible counsels us that speech is not neutral and has positive and negative effects on both the speaker and the hearer.

The Bible is eloquent about improper and lousy speech. Prophet Isaiah recognised the sinfulness of his lips and that of the people he lived among.

"And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!” Isaiah 6:5).

The Psalmist prayed for protection from lying lips (Psa 120:2).

"Deliver me, O LORD, from lying lips, from a deceitful tongue" (Psalms 120:2).

In the New Testament, the apostle James wrote a lengthy treatise on the use of the tongue (Jas 3:1—12).

Here, Paul highlights three aspects of speech that a believer must be aware of. It should not corrupt; it should build up; finally, it should be a vehicle of God’s grace.

The Greek word for “corrupt” is used for the foul smell of rotten fish or fruit and anything that would crumble like a piece of soft rock. Since this contrasts with “building up” in the following line, it implies speech that destroys. While speech can ruin lives, it also has the power to build up. We can use our language to put down a person and also to motivate a person. The choice is ours.

Another aspect of speech is that it could be the vehicle of divine grace; it has a soothing effect on the hearer. On the verge of throwing up their hands in defeat, many fearful hearts await the words that will lift their spirits. Words carefully chosen and gracefully uttered sound like the voice of God for such souls.

Individuals transformed by Christ, aware of language's destructive and constructive power, could use their utterances to build up to soothe the world that hurts and hates.

Today, pause and consider the words you speak. Are they building others up, offering grace, and reflecting the heart of Christ? Choose to be a voice of hope in a world too often marked by harshness. Let your words heal, uplift, and carry the grace of God to every ear that hears them.