Proverbs 18:21

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 power of the tongue:

Proverbs 18:21 (ESV)

Death and life are in the power of the tongue,

and those who love it will eat its fruits.

When we think of our speech we all know it has tremendous power to help some or hurt some.  But in this proverb Solomon brings it to even a higher level of seriousness.   The concept of death and life, especially in the Bible, or typically reserved for The Lord.   If you interpret the verse as referring to The Lord it makes perfect sense.   God has the power of life or death in what He proclaims with His voice.  He condemns some and He gives life to some.   Those, in the second line, who "love it" (God's voice" eat of its fruit (benefit from God's proclamation with His tongue).   Not every interpretation of this proverb would place the "power of the tongue" as a reference to God.   They would prefer to say that we have the power of life and death in the use of our tongue.  That would fit what James says, below:

James 3:5-6 (NASBStr)

So also the tongue is a small part of the body, and yet it boasts of great things. See how great a forest is set aflame by such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire, the very world of iniquity; the tongue is set among our members as that which defiles the entire body, and sets on fire the course of our life, and is set on fire by hell.

The second line of the above proverb would then be telling us that those who love the tongue will "eat of its fruit" ... or, will benefit from using the power of it in the correct manner.   Either interpretation has some validity.  Both are consistent with God's word.   There is some natural ambiguity as to which might be correct. Both could be true.  The key here is that words have power.   When God uses them they can bring life or death to mankind.  When man uses them they can spread the gospel or they can withhold the gospel ... either brings life and/or death.  When we eat God's Word we benefit from them ... from the fruit.   When we follow God's example and use our words to bring life we can eat the fruit of our tongue and benefit from those words.   Be careful how you use the tongue.   It has more power than you will ever know.