Proverbs 15:4

The book of Proverbs gives us a lot of instruction on a lot of different subjects. One subject that can keep us in God’s wisdom is Godly Follower-ship. Who we follow; where we follow; how we follow are all spoken about in Proverbs. Here is one of them about the tongue:

Proverbs 15:4

A soothing tongue is a tree of life, but perversion in it crushes the spirit.

How do you know if someone is using their tongue for good or for bad? How do you know that when you are talking to someone in a conflict or stressful situation if you are being profitable to them or damaging to them? This proverb gives us a simple little test as to what our speech should be like. Correct and edifying speech should bring healing to others. When it does it is like the tree of life. Interestingly that when Adam and Eve ate of the Tree of Knowledge they were driven out of the Garden less they also eat from the Tree of Life (if they would have done so after disobeying God they would have also sealed the fate of mankind permanently). After disobeying God Adam and Eve used their tongues for corruption and crushing and blaming others.  In this proverb we read that the Tree of Life can be made available in everyone’s speech. What a remarkable responsibility and privilege. The opposite is also true. A tongue that doesn’t heal will so crush. Those who use their speech in a wrong manner crush others. Does your speech heal or crush?