The Sanitized Tongue
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As I was preparing to write my last SEW blog for the year 2021, I asked the Lord what He wanted me to write. It’s the holiday season, so I assumed the blog for December would be about the birth of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. However, nothing was coming together when I sat at my computer and attempted to write one paragraph on these topics. So, I decided to settle my spirit down and wait for the Lord to speak, and I heard the Holy Spirit say, “The Sanitized Tongue.” Yep, you are right; this title has nothing to do with Christmas, but this is what the Lord wanted me to write about for this month’s blog.
So, let’s look at the definition of “Sanitize.” The word sanitize means to make something more acceptable by removing potentially offensive material. When you sanitize an object, you apply a powerful agent that has the strength and ability to remove whatever is offensive on an object. The Word of God is our Holy sanitizer for life offenses. If we read, believe, and have faith in the Holy scripture, it is powerful enough to sanitize every area of our life, including our tongue.
Now, I have to be honest; In the midst of me trying to write a Christmas theme blog, I was also being corrected by the Lord regarding how I had been using my tongue. My words and opinions of certain situations had not been laced with grace. I had been yielding my tongue to unfruitful conversations that did not meet God’s standard in His word regarding how we are to use our tongue. So, I repented and asked the Lord to help me sanitize my tongue, and He did. He showed me in His word what His intentions are for our tongue.
So, in this last S.E.W. Blog for 2021, I will share vital biblical nuggets on how God wants to use our tongue for His glory. I pray that you will remember these biblical nuggets when asked to speak on a matter or engage in conversations with others.
Nugget #1
Our tongue is a wellspring for life. When we speak, we are supposed to be adding value to whatever we are talking to or about. After conversing with us, no one should leave our presence broken, disappointed, or discouraged. Proverbs 15:4 says, “A wholesome (sound, beneficial) tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness (corruptness) in it breaks the spirit.” Our tongue was designed for God’s purpose- to speak life and build each other up and not tear each other down. When we use our tongues to tear each other down, we walk in agreement with Satan’s plans- which is to destroy who God has called us to be. Speaking words of destruction is not God’s assignment for our tongue. We have to be intentional with the words we form with our tongue. It matters to God; it impacts our lives and the lives of others.
Nugget #2
Our tongue should not be a landing strip for slander, lies, deceit, and gossip. It is our responsibility to protect the integrity of the words we speak. In other words, we have to be the gatekeeper of our tongue. Proverbs 15:2 says, “The tongue of the wise uses knowledge rightly, but the mouth of fools, pours forth foolishness.” Before we speak, we should evaluate our words to ensure they are words of wisdom and not foolishness. We act a fool when we use our tongue to conversate on topics that contain slander, lies, deceit, and gossip. I don’t know about you, but I am not a fool, and I don’t want to act like one. Slander, lies, deceit, and gossip should never see our tongue as a comfortable place to habitat.
Nugget #3
Our tongue should not be the spokesperson for anger and wrath.
It is so easy in today’s society to use unpleasant words when reacting to the frustrations of life. Proverbs 15:1 says, “A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” Our tongue can turn away wrath or stir up anger. I encourage you to use your tongue to influence and promote the works of God in the atmospheres where you dwell. When we do this, we glorify God. Don’t allow your tongue to become a spokesperson for Satan’s plans. Instead, let the Holy Spirit that resides in you influence your tongue to speak words that will change the direction of wrath and anger away from your life and the lives of others.
Every day, we get an opportunity to choose how we will use our tongue. Proverbs 18:21 says, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it (the tongue) will eat its fruit.” The words we speak with our tongue do impact our lives. We can speak words of life that bring forth the good fruit of love, restoration, and edification in our life and the lives of others, or we can speak words of Death that will cause negativity, despair, and disappointment to thrive in our life and the lives of others. I encourage you to make a decision and choose to use the power of your tongue to speak life. Speaking life is God’s assignment for our tongue.
Meditate on these three nuggets. Search your heart and ask the Lord if you have been a good steward of the words you are forming with your tongue. If you haven’t, it’s okay. Repent like I did and ask God to help you sanitize your tongue. He is in the sanitizing business. He can cleanse your tongue and remove the offensive material that is causing you to speak words that don’t align with His will for your life and the lives of others.
God desires to use our tongue for His glory, so don’t allow Satan to hijack your tongue and use it for his foolish agenda!