James 3:8-10 “but no one can tame the tongue-a restless evil, full of deadly poison.  With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse those who are made in the likeness of God.  From the same mouth come blessing and cursing.  My brothers and sisters this ought not to be so.”

The poisonous darts from one’s mouth surely can sting.

I was not very old when I realized the power that words, and how they were spoken, held.  I could bring smiles or I could bring tears depending on what I said.  The saying about sticks and stones and words is just not true.

I read an article recently that was talking about smartphones and the impact it might be having on our youth in their communication style and skills.  When you see someone’s facial reaction to what you say it is more personal than when you type it on a screen and send it via the virtual world.  The impact to the other person is just as real but the sender is not privy to the reaction.

Not only does what we say impact others but it does impact us as well.  That honey or poison coming from our mouth feeds into our brains and our souls as well.  The seed is already deep within our soul or we would have the ability to say what comes out of our mouth.

This morning I asked the Lord to search my heart and soul for any poison that might lurk waiting to spew out toxic words.  I asked him to remove it and make me clean once more.

Lord,

May the meditations of my heart be true and right in your eyes.  Keep poison from my heart and my mouth so that the words I speak are sweet and healing, like honey, to all those around me.  I ask these things through Jesus, the Christ, my redeemer.  Amen.