Are People’s Names Safe on Your Lips When They’re Not Around?

This is a powerful and sobering principle—Are people safe with you when they’re absent? In other words, when someone leaves the room, does their character remain protected by your words, or do they suffer harm through gossip, slander, or careless conversation? Our tongues have the power to build or destroy, to heal or to wound, even when the person we’re speaking about isn’t present.

The Weight of Our Words

Scripture is clear that our words have tremendous spiritual influence. Proverbs 18:21 says,

“Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.” 

When we speak, we’re planting seeds—whether of life or of death. Even in a person’s absence, our words shape how others perceive them. This can either safeguard their reputation or quietly assassinate their character.

The Lord calls us to a higher standard:

“Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear” (Ephesians 4:29).

Notice the emphasis—our words should give grace, not fuel gossip, bitterness, or judgment.

Sweet Waters and Divine Health

Proverbs 16:24 reinforces this beautifully:

“Pleasant words are a honeycomb: sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.” 

Words carry spiritual weight, and pleasant, life-giving speech has not only emotional impact but also physical benefits. God wired us to respond to words—our body, soul, and spirit are interconnected. Sweet words reduce stress, foster peace, and can even promote physical healing. Conversely, negative, toxic words can stir anxiety, bitterness, and internal unrest that eventually affect our health.

James 3:11 asks,

“Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring?” 

This is a direct challenge. If we bless God in one breath but tear down His creation—our fellow brothers and sisters—in the next, we’re creating a toxic spring within our own hearts. And from that toxicity, sickness—both spiritual and physical—can take root.

Dr. Masaru Emoto, a Japanese researcher, conducted experiments suggesting that human consciousness could affect the molecular structure of water. In his studies, Emoto exposed water to various words, thoughts, and music, then froze the samples and examined the resulting ice crystals under a microscope. He reported that water exposed to positive expressions like "love" and "thank you" formed beautiful, symmetrical crystals, while water exposed to negative expressions like "you fool" resulted in distorted, asymmetrical patterns. 

Emoto's findings have been popularized through his book, The Hidden Messages in Water, which presents photographs of these ice crystals and discusses the potential implications of his research. (Video Below)

Emoto's work invites contemplation on the potential impact of our words and intentions, especially considering that the human body is composed of approximately 60+% water.

It’s not just spoken words that carry power, but the words we choose to listen to through music. Songs are repeated confessions, and music embeds those words directly into our subconscious. The enemy understands this far better than most believers. He doesn’t need us to outright declare destructive things over ourselves if he can get us to sing them over our own lives repeatedly.

Consider the infamous “Highway to Hell” by AC/DC. Every time someone belts out that chorus, they’re literally celebrating and confessing a path toward destruction—“I’m on the highway to hell!” It sounds catchy, but spiritually, that’s an agreement being spoken out loud, and words have creative power (Proverbs 18:21).

Even songs that seem harmless but constantly glorify heartbreak, hatred, violence, sexual sin, rebellion, or hopelessness are planting seeds of destruction. Think about the constant repetition of phrases like “I can’t live without you,” “I’m broken beyond repair,” or “We’re meant to burn it all down.” These are not just lyrics—they are spoken agreements with despair, lust, violence, and death.

Paul warned about this in Ephesians 5:19, encouraging us to

“speak to one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making music in your heart to the Lord.” 

Why? Because what we put in our hearts overflows into our lives (Luke 6:45). Music isn’t entertainment alone—it’s a spiritual experience, and we must be discerning about what we allow to play on repeat in our minds and spirits.

If life and death are truly in the power of the tongue, we must be just as watchful about what we sing and what we listen to as we are about what we say directly. What songs are you unknowingly using to prophesy over your future?

Gossip: The Silent Assassin

Gossip often masquerades as harmless conversation, but its effects are devastating. Proverbs 26:20 says,

“Without wood, fire goes out; without a gossip, conflict dies down.” 

When we entertain or spread gossip, we fuel division, distrust, and emotional harm. Even when the person we’re speaking about is not present, the damage is real. In fact, it’s often more dangerous because they are not there to defend themselves.

Jesus takes this principle to an even deeper level in Matthew 12:36-37:

“But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.” 

This is not about casual slips; it’s about the unchecked pattern of our speech. Are our words protecting, covering, and honoring others—or exposing, wounding, and accusing them in their absence?

The Example of Jesus

Consider how Jesus handled the failures and shortcomings of His disciples. Even when Peter denied Him, Jesus didn’t destroy Peter’s character in front of others. Instead,guar He restored him publicly (John 21:15-17). Jesus models what it means to protect and cover others, even when they’ve fallen short.

Are People Safe with You—Even in Their Absence?

This is a question of integrity and spiritual maturity. It asks whether we are fountains of life (Proverbs 10:11) or sources of destruction. If someone were to hear every private conversation we’ve had about them, would they feel honored or betrayed?

Let our prayer be that of David in Psalm 141:3:

“Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips.” 

And may we commit to being a safe space for others—whether they are in our presence or far away. Because when our hearts remain clean and our words pure, not only do we safeguard the dignity of others, but we also protect our own hearts and walk in the divine health that flows from a wellspring of life.

When others are not watching, God still is. Will He find your words building His Kingdom or quietly tearing it down? Speaking negatively about others isn’t just harmless conversation—it carries serious spiritual and practical consequences. When we speak ill of someone, we open the door for division, mistrust, and even spiritual oppression in our own lives. Jesus made this clear when He said,

“By your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned” (Matthew 12:37).

Every negative word plants a seed, and those seeds don’t just affect the person being spoken about—they take root in the speaker’s own heart, poisoning their peace, clouding their perspective, and even inviting sickness and unrest into their body. Proverbs 6:16-19 tells us that among the things God hates are “a lying tongue” and “one who sows discord among brethren.” 

Gossip and slander are not light matters—they fracture relationships, damage reputations, and grieve the Holy Spirit. Worse, they position us under the same measure of judgment we place on others (Matthew 7:2). In the unseen realm, the enemy seizes on these moments, using our words as legal grounds to stir confusion and chaos. If we want to live in the peace and favor of God, we must guard our mouths and commit to speaking life—even when it costs us our pride or our desire for a juicy story.

The fruit of our words will either bless our future or corrupt it. The choice is ours.

Dr. Emoto's Water Experiment

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