As a follower of Christ, our adversary, the devil, is the father of lies and is delighted when we speak words that are false, proud, jealous, and motivated by selfish ambition. In that sense, our bitter words glorify Satan instead of glorifying Jesus. No wonder James tells us in James 3:6 “the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell.” This demonic source plays out in three different types of bitter speech. First, it can involve our evaluation of a past event. Bitterness invariable skews our circumstances, and we must be aware of falsehoods that are often spawned in our own bitter heart. For example, the children of Israel remembered their slavery in Egypt as having pots full of meat and plenty of bread (Exodus 16:3). Second, the fires of hell can produce false evaluations of our present difficulties. In Exodus 16:3 Israel said to Moses, we wish we “had died by the LORD”s hand in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the pots of meat, when we ate bread to the full; for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.” What an offensive comment to make about the all-sufficient God! Third Earthly wisdom leads us to irrational fears about the future. Bitter words can produce all sorts of paralyzing fears that hinder us and others from taking the steps God desires. The children of Israel refused to go into the promised land in Numbers 13, where we read, “we ae like grasshoppers in their sight.” (v33). These fears lead us into inactivity and rebellions. Don’t allow a bitter heart to lead you in the decisions you need to make. Choose to trust and follow the direction of the Lord found in His Word.
