“Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.”--Proverbs 18:21 There have been times when I’ve had to apologize for things I have said. How we must seek the Lord to guard our tongue! Proverbs 17:28 comes to mind: “Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise: and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding.”
   
​At the same time, Proverbs 18:21 tells us that the tongue has the potential to provide life. Sometimes it does need to be exercised. The following points emphasize words that we are commanded in Scripture to speak. I hope these thoughts encourage all of us as we seek to glorify God with this “little member” that can wield so much power.

“Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.” (Proverbs 18:21)
 
The tongue is such a small member of our bodies, yet it holds the power of life or death. No wonder God's Word has so much to say about our words! A few years ago as I studied this topic, I was convicted by the emphasis that Scripture places on this area of our lives. Our Creator has given us the ability to speak, so that we can proclaim His glory and goodness to all people (Psalm 107). Our words should be filled with His praise for the great mercy He has shown in redemption. “And my tongue shall speak of thy righteousness and of thy praise all the day long” (Psalm 35:28)

The past two years for my family have stretched us to lengths I didn’t think possible. Or normal. But because of this stretching, I have seen seasons of distant relationships and thick bonding moments. All good things, as I’m always reminded in Romans 8:28, but we are still a remarkably busy family. And our individual selves are even busier.

​Well, my sisters are busy; I’m just along for the ride, right? ‘Cause, as usual, I just have school.

​I always have an anxious excitement when I am about to buy a plane ticket. You are planning for a fun trip, but at the same time you are spending a lot of money on something you can’t return. As I was doing this a few weeks ago, I was meticulously going through my itinerary to make sure I had everything right. Finally I clicked to finalize the purchase, but it came up with an ‘ERROR’ screen. It appeared that it hadn’t gone through, but it wouldn’t let me purchase the tickets when I tried again. I was feeling a little frustrated, because I really wanted to get them finalized before prices went up. With no other option, I waited until the next morning to try again. And lo, and behold, it ended up that the tickets were cheaper! As I sat there thanking the Lord, I felt like the Lord saying, “If I can orchestrate your circumstances to save you a little money, how much more can I provide for you in the area of marriage?’ I was humbled. ‘Oh.  Yes,  Lord. You are able to work out my future in Your perfect timing and in Your perfect way.’ God used a small daily experience to remind me of His goodness and care.

It can be challenging to maintain a cheerful attitude and a vision for a future family when that future family seems so elusive. If you’re like me, the prospect of marriage may appear slim. Mr. Right isn’t around and he’s not even on the horizon or over the horizon. It’s easy to wonder if he died at birth and the possibility of becoming an old, grouchy spinster continues to loom bigger and bigger. While your friends get married and raise their children, you are still waiting and waiting, and waiting some more. Your overflowing Hope Chest becomes more of a Hopeless Chest and you wonder if life has passed you by. 

In this world that we live, society screams out that we are to be given what we think will make us happy now. There is no thought of waiting until the time is right, until you have enough money saved, or until the Lord brings it to pass. We must help out. The flesh desires and wants it now. There is no encouragement in anything to be content where you are and wait. This life misses out on the blessings we have, worrying about what the future holds. "But godliness with contentment is great gain." (1 Timothy 6:6)