The tongue's influence exceeds that of all our other members combined; and to control it, therefore, in the Lord's service, is the most important work of the Lord's people in respect to their mortal bodies and the service of these rendered to the Lord. A few words of love, kindness, helpfulness—how often have such changed the entire course of a human life! yes, how much they have had to do with molding the destiny of nations! And how often have evil words, unkind words, slanderous words, done gross injustice, assassinated reputations, etc., or, as the Apostle declares, "set on fire the course of nature," awakening passions, strifes, enmities, at first unthought of! No wonder he declares such tongues are "set on fire of Gehenna," the Second Death!
Scripturally, the tongue symbolizes knowledge—true or false—expressed in language. Therefore, the thought of the text, that life is in the power of the tongue, agrees with James' exhortation, "Receive with meekness the engrafted word which is able to save your souls." Its thought that death is in the power of the tongue agrees with St. Paul's statement on false teachers, that their word does eat as a cancer. Surely we ought to guard our thoughts and utterances, since they bring life or death to us and our hearers. The world's present woes and future bliss lie closely related to speech, good and true, or evil and false.
Psa. 12:3; 34:11-13; 140:3; Matt. 12:36, 37; 15:18, 19; Jas. 3:2-13; 1:26; Prov. 10:20, 21, 31; 11:30; 16:27; 18:4-8; 2 Tim. 2:23-25; Rom. 10:14, 15; 2 Cor. 2:16; Eph. 4:29; Col. 4:6.
