The Power of Your Words
- Bishop Keith Butler
- 1 hour ago
- 2 min read
Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof. (Proverbs 18:21)
Proverbs 18:21 is quite clear. It tells us that our words matter. What we say isn't just noise filling space—our words carry real power. With our mouths, we can either encourage someone and uplift them or discourage them and bring them down. Words can either strengthen or weaken relationships, heal wounds, or deepen hurts. Consider the phrase Solomon used when he said, "Eat the fruit thereof." This means our words yield good or bad results, and ultimately, we must live with those results. If we speak negatively, we’ll encounter adverse outcomes. If we choose life-giving, encouraging words, we will experience positive results.
Let me share a story from my own life. One Sunday, on the way to church, my wife and I were driving, and it was incredibly cold outside—27 degrees. Without thinking, I remarked, "It's so cold. The seniors are going to stay home, and the parents will probably keep their kids home, too.” Immediately, my wife corrected me, gently but firmly: “No, we’re going to say our people will come to church.” Ouch! She got me. I knew instantly that she was right.
I was declaring something negative before I even stepped foot in the building. It’s funny how we know things in theory but sometimes fail to live them out practically. Our words shape our expectations, which then shape our experiences.How often do believers casually say things that unknowingly set negative expectations? We might say, “I’ll never get that promotion,” or “My kids never listen,” or “Nothing good ever happens to me.” Each statement plants seeds we don’t want to harvest later. We must become aware of what we say and purposefully choose words that align with faith and hope.
Practical Application
Before speaking, ask yourself: “Am I speaking life or death right now? Am I planting seeds that I will be happy to harvest later?” Every word presents an opportunity to speak faith.