Influence of Our Words by MRS. IVA F. CADY

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Tacoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jun 22, 1916

Influence of Our Words

By MRS. IVA F. CADY

MRS. IVA F. CADY

It would be well if every one who trusts in the Lord for help would say with David, “I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue: I will keep my mouth with a bridle, while the wicked is before me.” Ps. 39:1.

Language is a wonderful gift. It may be used to the glory of God, or our words may be a stumblingblock to those around us. How carefully we should guard our conversation in the presence of those who are not Christians, for our words may have great influence either for or against the truth. By our words we may make ourselves channels of light to lead souls to Christ, or by our words we may become bodies of darkness to drive others farther from him. Knowing this, we are to let no corrupt communication proceed out of our mouth, but only that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. Eph. 4:29.

But we may be very cautious about expressing ourselves in the presence of those who are not Christians, and yet feel that it does not matter very much what we say before our brethren. When we congregate to worship the Lord, we may enjoy talking matters over together before and after and even during the services. Are we always as careful as we should be about what we say at such times? Do we ever criticize those who are bearing heavy responsibilities at the head of the work? Do we find fault with plans that have been laid for the advancement of the work, expressing our minds freely and getting others stirred up to talk as we talk? It is a very easy thing to stir up disaffection and distrust in the minds of others; but when we take such a course, we are sowing seeds of discord that can prove only an injury to the cause of God, the cause we love. Sooner or later we shall see the effects of our injudicious words in the evil influence they have had on others. Much as we may regret it, it will then be too late to uproot the evil seed that we have sown.

We may well remember the admonition given in Eccl. 5:1, 2: “Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they consider not that they do evil. Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter anything before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few.”

When we talk very freely, we are prone to say something we ought not to say; and many of us have learned by experience that “in the multitude of words there wanteth not sin.” So, if we feel rebellious, it is better not to express it, and thus poison other minds. Some do, indeed, say many very unwise things, giving, as Solomon expresses it, “the sacrifice of fools.” They freely criticize and condemn their brethren in the church, and even their ministering brethren, heedless of God’s command which says, “Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm.” And though they are making public their evil surmisings, their envy and self-conceit, “they consider not that they do evil.”

Do you ask how it can be evil simply to express yourself freely when you cannot see things as do your brethren? It might be all right if you would do as Christ said, and first tell it to these brethren alone. But when you take advantage of their absence, as is usually the case, and speak against them and their plans, you are not doing the fair thing. Even in lawsuits the defendant has the opportunity of being present, and hearing what the plaintiff has to say against him, and then he is given the privilege of defending himself by stating freely his side of the question.

And yet what you say may not hurt those whom you are criticizing. They may never happen to hear about it. But it may influence unfavorably some of the brethren who hear you talking. Some of them may be new in the faith, and have but little knowledge as yet of the Word of God. Others may be spiritually weak. Your unwise words may cause them to lose confidence in the brethren, and also in the message. As a result, they may withdraw their support from the work of the Lord, and in the end go back to the world and lose their souls.

Instead of discouraging one another by expressing doubt and distrust, or by murmuring and complaining, let us be loyal soldiers, following our leaders in every forward move, and rallying around the standard. Let us “lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees; and make straight paths for your [our] feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way: but let it rather be healed. . . . Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled.” Heb. 12:12-15. It behooves us to keep a strict watch over our words wherever we may be, remembering “that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.”