Is it possible that some don't know the damage that can be done by a loose tongue? Is it possible that some don't know that they will be held responsible and accountable for weakening the faith of another because they did not restrain their lips? Let's let God through Solomon tell us some more.

In Prov. 6:12-14 we read: "A worthless person, a wicked man, is the one who walks with a false mouth, who winks with the eyes, who signals with his feet, who points with his fingers; who with perversity in his heart devises evil continually, who spreads strife." In Prov. 11:9 we find, "With his mouth the godless man destroys his neighbor, but through knowledge the righteous will be delivered." Prov. 16:28 says, "A perverse man spreads strife, and a slanderer separates intimate friends." How about one more? Prov. 20:19 informs us, "He who goes about as a slanderer reveals secrets, therefore do not associate with a gossip." Amen, I say; and again I say, Amen!

Whispering, backbiting, gossiping, and the lack of common sense and restraint with the tongue can do irreparable damage. It can be like a fire gone out of control, or perhaps a more appropriate image is that of a wind blowing trash, debris, and garbage all over a city.

I like what Solomon wrote in Prov. 17:27,28: "He who restrains his words has knowledge, and he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding. Even a fool, when he keeps silent, is considered wise; when he closes his lips, he is counted prudent."

I will feely tell you that I am about to take a passage out of its context, but hopefully you will be able to understand why. In Matt. 5:29,30 Jesus said; "And if your right eye makes you stumble, tear it out, and throw it from you; for it is better for you that one of the parts of your body perish, than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand makes you stumble, cut it off, and throw it from you; for it is better for you that one of the parts of your body perish, than for your whole body to go into hell."

We understand that Jesus is not really saying to pluck out your eye or to cut off your hand. He is emphasizing how serious a matter sin is and how much more important the spiritual is than the physical. I believe in some cases we could say, "If your computer, with its e-mail, causes you to sin, throw it away! If your telephone or cell phone causes you to stumble, destroy it, smash it, throw it away! It is better for you to go through life without e-mail and a telephone or cell phone than for your whole body to go into hell because of the misuse of these tools.

By Greg Litmer in That Ye May Grow Thereby.

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