The Bible has much to say about our words. The first parts of Proverbs 11:9 and 26:22 describe conversations that are gossip: “An hypocrite with his mouth destroyeth his neighbour” (Prov 11:9; KJV); “The words of a talebearer are as wounds” (Prov 26:22).

Gossip produces strife and destroys the unity that God so loves (Prov 16:28; Ps 133). We are told that life and death are in the power of the tongue (Prov 18:21). The apostle James wrote about our tongues: “And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature: and it is set on fire by hell” (James 3:6). Wow, strong words. Furthermore, the apostle Matthew taught us that the words that come out of our mouths reflect what is in our hearts (Matt 12:34) and that we will be justified or condemned by our words (Matt 12:37).

We need to restrain our words (James 1:26). We should stick to pleasant words that build up and edify (Prov 16:24). Someone once told me that if you are talking about a person to another individual you should ask yourself: 1. Do your words edify you and would God approve of them? 2. Do they build up and help the hearer? 3. Do they honor, help and edify the one you are talking about?

Let’s check our hearts and speak words in love and for a constructive reason.

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