(By Thor Knutstad)

If you have known the LORD as a believer for some time, you have heard this often repeated list of phrases:

Steward your time (moments, hours, days, the clock)

Steward your treasure (money, possessions, resources, home)

Steward your talents (God-given abilities, spiritual gifts)

To steward something literally means “to manage it.” Actually, the word itself infers that it would be “managed well.” The dictionary defines steward (the verb) as: 1. to supervise the arrangement of, 2. to keep order of and be responsible for, 3. to manage or look after and have charge over, 4. to actively direct or administer. In the Bible, the Hebrew for steward (as a noun) was used for one who “ruled over as an overseer.” This person had full charge over the household, property and business affairs for the owner (like Joseph had over the house of Potiphar in Genesis). The New Testament definition in both the Aramaic and the Greek is not dissimilar from the Hebrew. To steward meant to rule or have charge over. Peter called believers to steward the grace of God (1 Peter 4:10), while Paul called fellow Christians to steward the (now revealed) mysteries of God (1 Corinthians 4:12). He told the leaders of the church (overseers such as pastors/elders) to take scrupulous care of the flock as a steward (Titus 1:7). Needless to say, to steward can be summed up in this connection of many words – manage, look after, direct, administer, care for scrupulously, have charge over or to oversee.

I already mentioned that we have repeatedly heard the wise mandates to steward our time, our treasure and our talents. The LORD wants us to manage our moments and hours, to oversee our possessions and resources, and to administer our gifts and abilities for Kingdom purposes. But when I read the Proverbs, I of reminded of a fourth stewardship. I am called to steward my tongue (or my words). In my observation and experience as a pastor, Christian counselor, husband, father, man and fellow struggler, we are NOT stewarding our words well. Our words are full of lies, gossip, accusation, division, a lack of gentleness, legalism, foolishness, approval, pride, self-glory, deception, chattering, manipulation, immorality and perversions, poorly timed statements, context forgetting, ungraciousness, gospel averting, indiscretion, seductiveness, poor tone, eye-rolling, poorly stewarded words. We are just not stewarding well our words,folks. Go back and reread that very sobering list. Did I miss any one of us in those depictions? It’s doubtful. Don’t feel judged. That is not my intention at all. But if you sense the conviction of God’s Spirit about stewarding your words better, then I have done my job in hoping to provide wise counsel in my own words to you.

In Proverbs 6:16-19, Solomon lists seven things that the LORD absolutely hates. Three of the seven are related to actually stewarding words: #2 – He hates a lying tongue. #3 – He hates a false witness, and #7 – He hates the stirring up of dissension among brothers. As a matter of opposites, Solomon is in essence saying this: steward words for truth, for honesty, and for peace and unity. He is saying that the LORD loves these things (the latter) rather than the former (#2,#3, #7). When we know the heart of our LORD God and how He speaks and how He stewards His own words in His Word, we will communicate better and speak from His heart (not ours). We often say “that’s how I feel” or “that’s my opinion” or “that’s what I think,” but we forget the sobering truth that Jesus said in Luke 6:45, that “out of the heart the mouth speaks.” When we steward well our words, we are speaking from the heart of the LORD and by His wise sayings. Here are some questions from the Proverbs concerning the stewardship of words/talk that I am listing for us to take an honest look at:

Do I pursue wisdom in the Proverbs? (Do these wise sayings matter to me?) – Prov. 1-2

Do I know the benefits of wisdom? Is wisdom supreme to me? – Prov. 3

Do I love wisdom? – Prov. 4:7

Do my words “invite ruin”? (Prov. 10:10)

Do I speak what is fitting (10:32) and give well timed and apt replies? (15:23, 25:11)

Are my words reckless (12:18) or perverse (10:31-32) or kind (12:25) and pleasant? (16:21)

Am I like a fool whose soul is ‘snared by his words’? (18:7)

Do I chatter aimlessly too many words (10:8,19) or hold my tongue appropriately in silence?

Again, go back and reread each one and contemplate the specific questions on this list. Read the corresponding Scripture reference for God’s greater wisdom to see more fully what the Spirit of the LORD is saying through King Solomon. And make it the goal of your heart and mind to steward well your words. For the tongue truly does have the power of life, or death. Stewarding well our words ministers life to others. Don’t spread words of death. Rather, steward well your words, dear people. For this is the heart of God. Praise Him.