Watch your tongue!

The tongue can bring death or life; those who love to talk will reap the consequences.
Proverbs 18:21 (New Living Translation)
The Bible says a lot about the tongue and it’s destructive power. I know that this is probably one of my worst sin problems. So, is the life of a spirtual Sanguine. How about you? Our tongue may be small but it can cause such big problems! It can cause you to lose so much- friendships, relationships, jobs. Words can be used to build up or tear down.
We cannot tame our own tongue; we need God’s help to do that. We should pray as King David prayed in Psalm 141:3 Take control of what I say, O Lord, and guard my lips. In Psalm 19:14, He also prayed “May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.” He was aware that he can’t control his mouth without God’s help and neither can we.
Have you ever thought that even when we listen to gossip and don’t repeat it, that is causing someone else to sin! I know a lot of times when someone comes to me gossiping, I know I shouldn’t indulge and listen, but I do anyway because I don’t want to hurt that person’s feelings. How crazy is that? Next time, say “I am trying my best to live my life right and I think I better not listen to this. I wouldn’t want someone talking about me.” That shouldn’t offend someone and also makes them think about how they are acting. If it does upset them, then they weren’t that great of a friend anyways!
Everything that comes out of our mouth should be God driven, God blessed and God praising. We must think before we speak. How many times have you thought, “I wish I hadn’t said that” but it is too late. You can never take back words once they are spoken, they are already doing their work—building up or tearing down.
As a mother, I need to realize that what I say to my child influences every aspect of their character. Even the tone of my voice is important because it reveals the condition of my heart. Discouraging or encouraging? Healing or wounding? It is my choice, but only with God’s Almighty hand of help.

For we all often stumble and fall and offend in many things. And if anyone does not offend in speech [never says the wrong things], he is a fully developed character and a perfect man, able to control his whole body and to curb his entire nature.
James 3:2 (Amplified Bible)