Preventing Forest Fires

Satan’s best weapon against me is solitude and isolation.  My head fills up with thoughts that I am the only one going through certain stumbling blocks.  Although realistically I’m aware that others around me are struggling with similar problems.  For example, there are times that I wonder if I’m the only one who over analyzes the things people say.  I tend to pick apart every bit of criticism and then I dwell on it as I match it with my own view on myself.  I constantly worry that I am blind to my own faults and that others can see so much more than I can myself.  The tiniest remarks can cause me to doubt myself and destroy my self-confidence.  Reminds me of the song “Forest Fire” by Josh Wilson,

Our tongues are like matches
Our ears are like trees
Our words are like sparks
On dry summer leaves
It doesn't take much
For the flames to rise
And turn a soul
Into a forest fire

Quite simply, we are all guilty of being very careless with our words.  The amount of time it takes to say a simple phrase is nothing compared to the amount of time it can end up replaying in someone's mind.

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. 
Ephesians 4:29

There's emphasis on the power of our words and the fact they are capable of building up others and we're told to do so. There are many scriptures informing us to be careful with our words and how important it is to tame the tongue.  James 1:26 evens warns that anyone who thinks they are religious and doesn't bridle their tongue is deceiving their own heart. It even goes as far as saying that their religion is worthless.
We are capable of doing a lot with our tongues.  It's one of those things that we can use for good or bad.

Sometimes it praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it curses those who have been made in the image of God. And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right! 
James 3:9-10

God didn't create our tongue to do evil or to make cutting remarks to the people around us.  There are many amazing and glorious things we can do with it to honor our Creator.  The power of the words we speak to others makes all the difference. But most important, we are called to speak good and pure things.  As I went through the different scriptures and seeing the multiple times that we are instructed to speak words that are encouraging, you have to realize the importance behind something mentioned so often in so many different books of the Bible. So in a world where we are taught to speak our minds, and aren’t necessarily taught to think things through before we say them. We aren’t told to be like the world.  People should see a difference in us simply by hearing our words and the way we speak.