Why What We Say Really Matters
Words are more powerful than we often realize. In fact, according to the Bible, words played a starring role at the very beginning of everything: God simply spoke—and the whole universe came into existence (see Genesis 1). That’s how strong words can be.
But it’s not just God’s words that have power. The words we humans speak can do powerful things too. The book of Proverbs says, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue” (Proverbs 18:21). Sometimes, that’s obvious—think about a courtroom, where what people say can determine whether someone’s life is saved or lost. But even when the stakes don’t seem so high, words can still deeply impact others. An encouraging word can lift someone up and give them hope; a harsh word can break a heart or lead to discouragement.
Jesus took this idea even further. He said that, one day, everyone will have to answer for every “empty” (or “idle” or “careless”) word they’ve spoken (Matthew 12:36). That means not just the big or obviously hurtful things we say, but even the little things we let slip without thinking. Why? Because, as Jesus explained, our words reveal what’s in our hearts: “The mouth speaks what the heart is full of” (Matthew 12:34).
In his conversation with the Pharisees (the religious leaders of his time), Jesus made it clear that what we say can either help us or hurt us when it comes to our relationship with God: “By your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned” (Matthew 12:37). He compared people to trees: just as good trees produce good fruit, good hearts produce good words. And, just as poison can come from the mouth of a viper, poisonous words can come from a heart that’s not right.
But Jesus didn’t just warn us about obviously bad or mean words. He said we’ll be held accountable even for words that might seem harmless or thoughtless if they don’t honor God. That means every sarcastic comment, every rumor, or even jokes at someone else’s expense matter more than we might think. The Pharisees, who had just accused Jesus of being possessed by evil, learned this lesson quickly when Jesus confronted them—and they promptly changed the subject (see Matthew 12:38).
Other parts of the Bible give us more practical advice. Ephesians 4:29 says we shouldn’t let any “unwholesome” talk come out of our mouths, but only what helps build others up and benefits those who hear. James writes about how hard it is to control the tongue: “No human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison” (James 3:8). That’s a dramatic way of saying that watching what we say isn’t easy. And in James 4:11–12, we’re reminded not to gossip or judge others with our words, because only God has the right to judge.
All of this can feel overwhelming. If even our careless words count, and it’s nearly impossible to perfectly control our tongues, what hope do we have? The answer, according to the Bible, is to ask for help from God’s Spirit. Psalm 141:3 is a great prayer for anyone who wants to be more careful with their words: “Set a guard over my mouth, LORD; keep watch over the door of my lips.”
In the end, our words matter—a lot. They can build up or tear down, bring life or cause pain, and they reveal what’s really in our hearts. So let’s try, with God’s help, to use our words for good: to encourage, to bring hope, and to honor God and others every chance we get.
Minister A Francine Green
July 2025
afrancinegreen.com 