When it comes to spoken words, we need to remember Jesus' advise not to judge by appearances. It appears that words are small and insignificant. It looks that they are nothing more than vibrations of air. Only developed spiritual perception reveals us the fact that words, as small as they seem to be, are powerful in their effect.

In the book of James, the Bible give us several graphic illustrations which help us to understand this truth.

Behold, we but bits in the horses' mouths, so that they may obey us, and we turn about their whole body.
Behold also the ships being so great, and driven by fierce winds, yet they are turned about with a very small rudder, where the impulse of him steering desires.
Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things.
Behold how little a fire kindles how large a forest!
James 3:3-6

A bit is small - but it is used to rule a strong horse.
A rudder is small - but it can direct a great ship.
A match is stall - but it is able to set on fire a large forest.

Words are meant to be tools by which we should direct the course of our lives, using all the powers of the universe in a constructive way. Ignorance about the word power, on the other hand, may lead to bringing harm to ourselves and to others.

In the same chapter, James also answers a question why some people do not experience blessings of their spoken words in full measure. The reason is their inconsistency. At one time they utter blessings, at another time they curse. Or, they bless one thing at, at the same breath, curse another. According to James, this attitude is counterproductive.

Does a fountain send forth at the same hole the sweet and the bitter? Can the fig tree, my brothers, bear olive berries; or a vine, figs? So no fountain can yield both salt water and fresh.
James 3:11,12

When we see a word "curse" in the Bible, we don't need to think that it is something utterly terrible. Most of us are very familiar with "curses", for they are simply negative pronouncements - the ones which contradict the Law of Being, the ones which deny the Love of God and the Presence of God in human lives. And, as we've seen it, verbal "curses" results in "cursed" conditions

We are encouraged to "bless, and curse not", that is, to live with the realization that the whole world proceeds from God, and therefore, is fundamentally good, fundamentally blessed. By blessing the world, we recognize its true nature, and also take an active part in giving to all the hidden potentialities visible forms and shapes. At the same time, we eliminate those conditions which appear to be out order.

"Man contains within himself the capacities of Being, and through his words uses the creative principle in forming his environment, good or bad. So we make our own heaven and hell. The ideas that make words constructive are those of life, love, wisdom, substance, power, strength, and all other ideas that express divine attributes. Words carrying the life idea produce a vitalizing and life-giving effect. Words that express divine love are harmonizing and unifying in their effect", wrote Charles Fillmore.

For most of us, it takes time to re-adjust our speech to what we believe to be true. Nevertheless, it is worth all possible efforts. By learning to give verbal expression to divine ideas, at all times and in all circumstances, we will make a major step in our spiritual development.