What's In Your Tongue?

  The taste buds on your tongue strongly coincide with the words you speak. There are four main taste receptors on your tongue – sweet, salty, sour, and bitter.  Each of these receptors are very different in taste, just as the words you speak are varied in their meaning.  People have always been concerned about what they are eating, however, most aren't careful with what they are saying.

   Bitter taste receptors are concentrated at the back of our tongues; resentful feelings are also hidden at the back of our hearts and minds.  Psalm 64:3 says, “Who whet their tongue like a sword, and bend their bows to shoot their arrows, even bitter words.”  Bitter foods that are offensive to our mouths are quickly disposed of; likewise the bitter feelings trapped inside of you must be released before they form into unpleasant, harsh feelings and words that can seriously damage your relationship with God and fellow Christians, and your testimony to unbelievers. You need to quench the bitterness within before it's too late!

   Bitterness is closely related to sourness, but bitter means that hatred has been brewing on the inside for a long time and sour is disgust built up at the moment, without much thought given to the words said.  Do you like sour candy?  Your mother probably used to warn you not to eat too much of it since your tongue will become seared and you won't be able to taste.  The same principle is applied to sour words, too much and you become immune to the pain you cause to others.  The Bible tells us what to do with sour words in Colossians 3:8, “But now ye also put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.”

   Salt is savoury to the tongue and is used to enhance the flavour of food.  Often times our words need a pinch of salt too.  There seems to always be two ways you can say something.  You can be kind or callous simply by using different words to say the same thing, just as food can taste bland if salt is missing or delicious if salt is present.  Colossians 4:6 relates, “Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer ever man.”  Think about what you are saying – does it need some salt?

   The sweetest part of your tongue is right on the very tip, so sweet words should be the first flowing out of your mouth when you speak to others.  Proverbs 16:24 wisely counsels, “Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.”  You wouldn't think twice about grabbing a piece of candy over vegetables, so why would you think twice about whether to be sarcastic or sweet?  It never hurt anyone to say something nice, and it won't hurt you.

   The tongue can be a dangerous weapon, as well as, a tool to be used of God.  The Bible has many verses about the tongue and its abilities, listen to what it has to say:

James 3:8 – “But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.”

Proverbs 12:18 – “There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword: but the tongue of the wise is health.”

Proverbs 21:23 – “Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles.”

Proverbs 10:20 – “The tongue of the just is as choice silver: the heart of the wicked is little worth.”

Proverbs 15:23 – “A man hath joy by the answer of his mouth: and a word spoken in due season, how good is it!”

   What taste do you want your words to have – bitter, sour, salty, or sweet?  What effect do you want your words to have on others?  What do your words say about you, as a Christian?