The Tongue Can Build Up or Tear Down – (Proverbs 15:4)

Daily Bible Study
One of the things that sets man apart as God's special creation is our ability to speak and communicate with God and others. With our speech we can build up others and with our words, we can inspire people to greatness. With the words we speak we can comfort those in need and help others through trials and tribulations. Our God given gift of communication can become a "tree of life" as we use it to build up others and help those in need. However, the opposite is also true, with a careless tongue we can tear people down, hurt others and destroy the lives of those around us. And those who are in rebellion against God, with wicked hearts understand this all too well. They use their speech to destroy the lives of others, and they often do so deliberately because of their rebellion against God. But this should never be so for Christians!

We through our faith have been adopted into the family of God as children of God and joint-heirs with Christ. As children of God, we are to use our speech to build others up in God's word. To spread the Good News of salvation in Christ alone, through faith alone and to combat evil. As hard as it is for us, we must understand our emotions do not give us the right to hurt others with our words. Moreover, we must always remember and understand that God knows the true motives behind what we say and why we say it. God does not just look at our actions, but God always looks at the desires, motives and intent behind those actions. This includes everything we say, as well as those things left unsaid. Those times when we had a responsibility to act or say something and we did not do so. Therefore, we must live our day to day lives never forgetting all people great and small will give an account before God of what they did with His gift of communication given to them.