Proverbs 18:20-21 – AMP
A man’s stomach will be satisfied with the fruit of his mouth;
He will be satisfied with the consequence of his words.
Death and life are in the power of the tongue,
And those who love it and indulge it will eat its fruit and bear the consequences of their words.
Death or life… dagger or sword… What do your words do, what does your
tongue look like?
Since a dagger, unlike say a sword or spear, can be carried concealed, it was at times considered a less than chivalrous (murder) weapon. A dagger symbolizes deceitfulness.
James 3 – Warning against the misuse of the tongue – NIV
3 When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. 4 Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. 5 Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. 6 The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.
7 All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, 8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.
9 With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. 10 Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. 11 Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? 12 My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.
Matthew 12:33-37 – NIV
33 “Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit. 34 You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. 35 A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. 36 But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken. 37 For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”
Prayer: Father, Jesus and Holy Spirit, I have probably spoken a lot of bad and destructive things, I have cursed and not blessed, instead of saying good things I have spoken bad things, I have accused with my tongue and criticized a lot in a negative way, I have spoken bad things in secret and in the back about those with whom I was friendly a short time before… I want to ask you for forgiveness for every blasphemous, accusatory, unloving, ugly word… I ask that You make me very sensitive in this area… please Holy Spirit show me in the future when I speak death again instead of life… thank You that I may always ask You and thank You that You help me to become more and more disciplined. THANK YOU… that today my tongue is under Your control. In Jesus’ name… Amen…
shalom Sabine
Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)