Watch Your Mouth!

Proverbs 18:21: "The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit."

The tongue is an incredibly powerful instrument that God has created in the body of a man. With it, a man has the ability to be a blessing to his family and others; or the man can use his tongue to be the source of denigration and discouragement for his family and friends.

I have observed fathers who have not blessed their children. In their self-centeredness, they refused to encourage their children and bestow a verbal blessing to the ears of these precious little ones. The children, in turn, grow up living lives of insecurity and low self-esteem. Typically I have observed that these children underachieve their potential in life, for either they believe that they don't deserve to attain such levels of accomplishment or they are fearful of embarking into the uncharted waters of "uncertainty." Many of these children become disgruntled adults, who show the scars of a missing verbal blessing from their parents.

This reminds me of the passage in Proverbs 17:6: "Children's children are a crown to the aged, and parents are the pride of their children." This is true, provided that the parent has cultivated and nurtured his child to become the abundant fruit of his family. Integrity, consistency of character, and the gift of verbal blessing are all important ingredients that a father can give to his children.

Jesus' words in Luke 17 are telling for parents who would cause their children to stumble by refusing to bless them: "It would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around his neck than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin. So watch yourselves."

Make it a point to bless those around you, especially your children. God has given you a tremendous opportunity to be a source of encouragement. Enjoy the savory fruit of a life that makes a positive impact upon others.