KMI · The Anatomy of the Tongue · Reading 25 of 49
The Tongue Destroys Relationships
Chapter 7: The Tongue as a Destroyer
Read at your own pace. Pause, pray, and return to the teaching whenever you need.
Teaching by Andre’ D. Fullwood
Manuscript pages 93–94
Chapter Introduction
Proverbs 6:16–19; Numbers 12 (AMPC) Words That Tear Down, Sabotage, and Dismantle Destinies The tongue is capable of extraordinary construction, but it is equally capable of catastrophic destruction.
Scripture reveals that God does not merely dislike destructive speech; He hates it. Not because He is fragile, but because destructive words destroy His people, His unity, His order, and His purposes.
Proverbs 6:16–19 (AMPC) lists seven things the Lord hates, and among them are:
- “A lying tongue.”
- “A false witness who breathes out lies.”
- “He who sows discord among his brethren.”
The Hebrew phrase sheqer lashon (“lying tongue”) means deception, distortion, falsehood.
The phrase shalach madon (“sows’ discord”) means to release strife, to send out division, to scatter unity.
Destructive speech is not merely harmful , it is spiritually violent.
It tears down what God builds.
It dismantles what God establishes.
It sabotages what God ordains.
Numbers 12 reveals this truth vividly. Miriam and Aaron “spoke against Moses.” The Hebrew word debar means to accuse, challenge, or undermine.
Their speech was not commentary; it was rebellion disguised as opinion. God responded with judgment, revealing that destructive speech carries consequences.
This chapter explores four destructive dimensions of the tongue:
- The tongue destroys relationships
- The tongue destroys destiny
- The tongue destroys unity
- The tongue destroys the self
Each section confronts the believer with the sobering reality that destruction often begins with speech.
The Tongue Destroys Relationships
Proverbs 12:18 (AMPC) “There are those who speak rashly, like the piercing of a sword…” The Hebrew word daqar (“piercing”) means to stab, wound deeply, or puncture.
Some words do not simply hurt; they pierce.
They stab the soul.
They wound the heart.
They fracture trust.
Relationships rarely collapse after a single catastrophic event.
They collapse from small, consistent, destructive words:
- criticism
- accusation
- sarcasm
- gossip
- passive aggression
- harshness
- blame
- silent treatment
Words can erode intimacy, weaken connection, and dismantle trust.
The tongue can destroy what the heart desires to keep.
The tongue as destroyer confronts us with a question:
Who have I wounded with my words?
© 2026 Andre’ D. Fullwood. Shared by the author. Scripture marked AMPC is from the Amplified Bible, Classic Edition, © The Lockman Foundation, as credited in the manuscript.