These days, reality shows have overshadowed and just completely taken over the television landscape. Even if you don't watch them regularly, we've all heard about The Real Housewives, Basketball Wives series and the relative newcomer to the reality show block, Love & Hip Hop. Cameras document the everyday lives of women in different areas of life, much as the series title suggests (sometimes), but seem to focus more on cat-fighting and back-biting than anything else.

I've watched an episode or two (okay, okay, I've watched more than a few, but don't judge me! I've taken a HUGE step back. Too much junk TV in the Christian diet doesn't seem to digest well...) and every time, I'm mouth hanging open amazed at how people seem to feel so free in saying horrible, nasty things to and about one another. Not everyone in the world is meant to be your BFF, but geez! There seems to be no mental gauge that goes off and says "Hmm...maybe I shouldn't say that." People seem to use "I'm just bein' real" as an excuse to just be cruel. Two snaps up, two snaps down, the head gets to bobbin' and BAM!

Why don't we realize that words are a powerful thing? What you say over your life and the lives of others actually matters!

"...Take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body."

- James 3: 4-6

"The tongue has the power of life and death..."

-Proverbs 18:21

How Your Words Affect Others

If the tongue is as powerful as theses verses indicate, then what things can you call down on the lives of those around you? We've all heard the old adage about "Sticks and Stones". I think author Jessamyn West got it right when she tweaked it by saying, "a broken bone can heal, but the wound a word opens can fester forever." So many people can testify to the cruel, thoughtless things parents or other authority figures have said to them, decreeing that they were worthless or wouldn't amount to anything. Some even take them far into adulthood and continue to deal with the ripple-effect of those idle words.

Often times, ministers will pronounce a benediction, or blessing, over their congregation before the service is dismissed. Usually we hear the one from Numbers 6:24 that the Lord instructed Moses to pass Aaron, to say over the Israelites, "The Lord bless and keep you; the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you..." God knew that when these words were spoken over the people, it would truly mean something. They weren't hollow words, but were purposeful and bore great weight. When we speak words of encouragement and success over our friends, our children, and our significant others, you better believe that they aren't just going off into space somewhere.

How Your Words Affect You

We know the story of the Israelites when God used Moses to deliver them from slavery in Egypt. The journey to the Promised Land was intended to take 40 days. But their tongues-the complaining and murmuring-drew it out to 40 years instead.

I heard Pastor and author Joyce Meyer ask once, "What blessing are we keeping ourselves from because of our tongues?" Ask yourself. It's inspired me to be far more aware of the things I say to and about myself on a daily basis. What things do you declare over your life? Not saying we should get crazy with it; I'm all for being realistic. If you have the flu, don't walk around sniffling and sneezing and telling everyone that you aren't sick.

Keep a handle on the tongue. It seems to have a mind of its own sometimes, but we've got to subdue that if we want to please Him. So let's try to restrain ourselves from the Real Housewives-esque tirades, no matter how tempted we are. (Sigh...I'm really starting to miss The Cosby Show...)

Shari Grant is a Registered Nurse in South Florida, where she was raised in a (very!) Jamaican home. Some of the loves of her life are words (both reading and writing them) and missions work. She enjoys spending time with friends and family while living for a good laugh - one that makes her belly ache and her eyes water. Her bottom line goal in life is to make the Lord smile and maybe even serve Him up a chuckle from time to time, too.