ALPHA MAAMA (A.M.)

 TU’APULELULU SIULAI 9, 2026

PALOVEPI 10-11; SEMISI 3:1-12

You can't read the Bible without coming to the convicting and motivating conclusion that words matter.

‘I ho’o lau ‘a e Tohitapu, te ke a’usia ‘a e mo’oni ko eni; ko e lea ‘oku tau ngaue’aki, ‘oku ‘i ai hono mahu’inga mo hono ivi. 

Words have fierce power. Read and meditate on what Proverbs says about the power of our words:

Whoever walks in integrity walks securely,

but he who makes his ways crooked will be found out.

Whoever winks the eye causes trouble,

and a babbling fool will come to ruin.

The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life,

but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.

Hatred stirs up strife,

but love covers all offenses.

On the lips of him who has understanding, wisdom is found,

but a rod is for the back of him who lacks sense.

The wise lay up knowledge,

but the mouth of a fool brings ruin near.

A rich man's wealth is his strong city;

the poverty of the poor is their ruin.

The wage of the righteous leads to life,

the gain of the wicked to sin.

Whoever heeds instruction is on the path to life,

but he who rejects reproof leads others astray.

The one who conceals hatred has lying lips,

and whoever utters slander is a fool.

When words are many, transgression is not lacking,

but whoever restrains his lips is prudent.

The tongue of the righteous is choice silver;

the heart of the wicked is of little worth.

The lips of the righteous feed many,

but fools die for lack of sense. (Prov. 10:9-21)

Our words matter. They produce either a good or a bad harvest. You can give a person joy with words. You can crush a person's spirit with words. With words you can help others see God and understand their need of him. With words you can create division or restore unity. You can use words to let people know you love them, or to tell them they are deeply hated. With words you can give people a vision and expand their imagination. Your words can impart wisdom or can drag a person down into your foolishness. With words you can lovingly rebuke or hatefully condemn. Words are the way we communicate the most beautiful truths, and also how we deceive with the ugliest lies.

We cannot let ourselves minimize the power of the words we speak. Our problem is that most of our words aren't spoken in dramatic or important moments. We let words fly in many mundane moments, without thinking that our words matter and always leave behind some kind of effect. Scripture reminds us that no one is able to tame the tongue (see James 3). With humble hearts, we need to ask our Lord to meet us with his powerful grace, so that the words we speak would be like choice silver. May God help us to remember that words matter, and may he help us to speak words that produce a harvest of righteousness.