Fireside Chat Ministries

By: Mandie Nelson

I heard a local pastor say these words the other day, and it stopped me in my tracks. “You can either throw a birthday party or a funeral…with your words.” 

Whoa. 

He’s not wrong. Proverbs 18:21 says, “Death and life are in the power of the tongues, and those who love it will eat its fruits.” 

This verse speaks to how very powerful our words can be – they can literally bring life or death into a situation. And please, I don’t mean to minimize any life or death situations, and I realize that things happen in this fallen world that are outside of our control.  

But I’ve also read that 10% of life is what happens to us, and the other 90% is how we react to it. 

So that means, even when we get a “bad news” phone call, we can choose to agree with the bad report and accept that it just stinks. Or we can apply the truth from the Word of the Lord and agree with what He says about the situation.  

We have a choice.  

Deuteronomy 30:15-20 tells us, “See, I set before you today life and prosperity, and death and destruction,” and He even gives us the answer: “Choose life!” How do we do that? By adding our agreement to His Word. And if we don’t…well, we have free will, and He gives us the power to reject Him, too…although He hopes we don’t!  

The answer is right there in Scripture. 

Even though we may get a bad report from the doctor…choose life! Speak Isaiah 53:5 over yourself. 

Even though we may see our loved one pass…choose life! Speak John 11:25-26 over your family. 

We can choose to believe the report of man, or we can choose to believe the report of the Lord. Which one will you choose today? Will your words throw a birthday party, or a funeral? Choose life! 

Love in Him, 

Mandie