Our Choice: To Tear Down or Build Up
“There is one who speaks like the piercing of a sword,
but the tongue of the wise promotes health”
Prov. 12:18
We Christians must be on guard against sarcasm. Because of sarcasm’s powerful negative effect, it is a word worth examining. According to Webster’s New Twentieth Century Dictionary, sarcasm comes from the Greek word sarcasmos, which is a derivative of sarkazein, which means, “to tear flesh like dogs.”
This verse tells us that sarcastic speech pierces like a sword. Sarcastic people can cut you to pieces with their tongues. Their words tear to shreds, wounding the spirits of their victims.
Unfortunately, many people live day-after-day in sarcastic environments where cutting, belittling, and abrasive words are spoken. On the outside, such people may appear unfazed, but their spirits can be bruised, cut, and bleeding. Unless they find healing, the unseen hurt will likely make its presence known in one negative way or another.
Only Christ can heal wounds to a person’s spirit, but as Christians, we have the privilege of ministering gracious, uplifting, and encouraging words to those around us.
In contrast to “the one who speaks like the piercing of the sword,” the second part of this verse says, “the tongue of the wise promotes health.”
Our words can cut, or they can mend. They can wound, or they can heal. They can tear down or build up. We have a choice: we can pierce with sarcasm, or we can soothe with words of wisdom.
Luke tells us that the people were astonished at the gracious words that Jesus spoke (Luke 4:22). What a role model for us to follow!
Will you choose to follow our Lord’s example, so we can always speak gracious and healing words. Let’s do it! Now, that’s the choice-driven life!
Today’s Bible Reading:
Lev 26-27; Heb 10; Psalm 112
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The Most Important Choice You Can Make:
Prayer for Salvation:
God in Heaven, I come to You in the name of Your Son, Jesus. I confess that I haven’t lived my life for You. I believe that Jesus is the Son of God. I believe that He died on the cross and rose again from the dead so I might have a better life now and eternal life in heaven. Jesus, come into my heart and be my Lord and Savior. From this day forward, I’ll live my life for You to the best of my ability. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.
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Our words are so very important; we need to get it together that we speak what we want to see come to pass in our life and in the lives of others around us. This is my toughest battle to be honest; I sometimes speak just what comes up even if I don’t want to say it. Thank you for bringing this home to me once more…I will work on it!