Written by: Amy Reinhardt
Do you think before you speak? Do you understand the impact of your words?
For me, the answer is a resounding no.
In the eleventh chapter of Proverbs, we hear, “Your own soul is nourished when you are kind, but you destroy yourself when you are cruel.”
Though small in size, our tongue carries a huge responsibility. It has the power to affirm or destroy other people. We control this outcome based on how we choose to speak.
It is all too easy to grow careless with daily speech. We gossip. We lie. We curse. We shout. We invite negativity and apathy into the world, just by our words alone.
As it says in Proverbs, our soul is impacted by how kindly or cruelly we speak. Every time we open our mouths, we have a decision. Is what we’re about to say going to bring us toward Heaven or tear us away from it?
Throughout the day, we interact with a number of people. If Jesus was standing next to us, would he like what we have to say to our friend or co-worker? What about a parent or spouse?
Recognizing that we’re living in Christ’s presence helps supervise our speech.
It wasn’t until a conversation with my brother that I realized how prideful I’d become. He encouraged me to practice sincerity and make my interactions more intentional.
He reminded me I have the power to affirm or destroy with everything I say. I needed to make better decisions, whether to speak out or remain silent.
“Whoever guards his mouth preserves his life; he who opens wide his lips comes to ruin.” (Proverbs 13:3)
Grief has underlined my last 10 months. I always battle the temptation to wallow in despair, lash out in anger, or simply curl up and cry. Many times I’ve let my emotions dictate how I communicate.
I never want what I say on my tough days to damage relationships with family and friends. That’s why it’s essential to be wary of how we use our tongue. It’s one of our most prized possessions, and it’s about time we start treating it as one.
At 28 years old, Amy Reinhardt has been an Ascension parishioner for over half her life. She led Disciples Dwelling and was heavily involved in the young adult ministry up until getting diagnosed with end-stage renal disease. She strives to radiate Christ’s light and love to all who are blessed to know her. If you’d like to read Amy’s health updates, follow: https://www.caringbridge.org/visit/amyreinhardt.