From the Pastor’s Desk:
THE POWER OF YES
Pastor H. Al Sims, Jr. SENIOR PASTOR OF BETHESDA CHURCH OF GOD, SUMTER, SC
T
he Bible is very direct in the Proverbs 18:21 that “Death and life are in the power of the tongue.”
The tongue is the strongest muscle in your body. It can influence millions both positively and negatively. The tongue can open doors of blessings but can also cause doors to be slammed in our faces. The Bible says no man can tame the tongue. Think about it, we can guide ocean liners with a small rudder, tame wild animals like lions and tigers but we cannot tame the tongue. The writer of the Book of James said it corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell (James 3: 4-6). So as you can see, the tongue has tremendous strength and abilities.
I would like to focus on two important words the tongue must be careful to speak at the proper time and in the proper way. Those words are Yes and NO. First, let’s look at the word NO. No is probably considered by most people as a negative word. No, you cannot have another piece of cake. No, you did not pass the test. No, you did not get the promotion and the list can go on and on. However, No can be a positive in other situations such as when you are battling negative peer pressure and instead of complying, you choose the right path and say, ‘No, I will not be a part of that’ and in turn, you make the right choice. Many failed marriages would not have happened if someone had been strong enough to simply “NO.” Many government officials would help our great nation to be a better place if they would have the backbone to vote, no, 4
