You have the power to speak life and death...

We don't really think about how important Proverbs 18:21 truly is, but it's true. We hold this power. What power is this? The power to speak life and death.

Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.

Our words hold a tremendous power, and I really hadn't thought about that until I wrote this blog post on my author blog the other day. I mean, I knew how powerful words were, but this really drove the point home to me. Sometimes I feel like we need a reminder of it. We tend to forget how important it is.

I was reminded of it, again, this morning when I could have flown off the handle at someone for angering me. This person had their own opinions of something, and I had my opinions. And although I responded once, I refused to respond again because I didn't want to get into a fight with anyone, especially this one. Although, I had come up with this whole speech that I wanted to type up and push "send" (It was on Facebook.), I didn't. I decided to delete the post altogether and let it go. Why? Because arguing would do no good. People have their opinions, and I have mine. They're entitled to share theirs, and I'm entitled to share mine.

But the point isn't about arguing opinions, it's about arguing. I could have said some horrible things in response to this comment, and this person could have said equally horrible things. But I didn't, and I don't think this person would have either. I'm not sure, but I wasn't opening the conversation up to that. It was best to stop the negative comments altogether, and that's what I did.

See, although I have the temper of a redheaded Irish woman, I kept that anger in check - this time. I've been known to not keep my tongue in check. I've said horrible things to people before, and I'm not proud of that. But I can change that now. I can mind what I say aloud about others and myself.

When you speak something, it's out there, and you can't take it back. It's important that we let God have our mouths and speak only good things. Ephesians 4:29 says, "Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers."

It's our job to speak life into others and situations. We don't need to start fights, nor do we need to call other people names, etc. We need to speak positively.

In the post that I mentioned above, I ended it with, "Maybe, just maybe, you can change someone’s life, too."

Who's life can you change today by speaking positively? Who's life can you change by not starting a fight? Calling people names? What are you doing to edify others? Let them have their opinions and you have yours. Just don't fight. Don't argue. Don't bully.

Life and death are in the power of the tongue. How will you use yours today?