The Bone-Breaking Tongue: The Soft Tongue’s Strength

"By long forbearing is a prince persuaded, and a soft tongue breaketh the bone." — Proverbs 25:15

The book of Proverbs has much to say about the power of the tongue and our words. In this same chapter, we read about a word fitly spoken, which is compared to golden apples. In the book of Proverbs, I see that words can be like a sword, piercing deeply, or they can be pleasant, sweet like a honeycomb, bringing sweetness to the soul and healing to the bones. This verse, however, speaks of a tongue that can break. It is the same honeycomb and the same golden apple. This is a paradox: what is soft can break what is hard. Abigail had a bone-breaking tongue; her wise and gentle words prevented David from taking revenge.

I want my words to be like honey—sweet and healing, beautiful as golden apples, and soft enough to break through hardness.

From my diary,

November 7, 2024