Words

After writing, erasing, and beginning again multiple times, I find myself unequal to the task before me. I decided originally to write this week on gossip. When words failed me in that direction, I turned to the power of words in general. And still I found that I could not communicate clearly or gently what I had in mind.

My intent was to convey the fact that gossip is widespread, even in Christian circles, and that we must be very careful of what we speak. I would have proposed rules for careful speech, and advocated that if a speech was not immediately and apparently edifying, it should be left unsaid.

While I still hold to these ideas, I have found myself entirely unable to express them in a manner consistent with my meaning. Therefore, I have decided to limit my words on the subject, as being useless, and to quote some relevant Bible verses. Indeed, I can say nothing more to the point than God's own words on the subject.

The Bible has much in this vein, as how we should speak: "And my tongue shall speak of thy righteousness [and] of thy praise all the day long." ~Psalm 35:28
"The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom, and his tongue talketh of judgment." ~Psalm 37:30
"There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword: but the tongue of the wise [is] health." ~Proverbs 12:18
"The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright: but the mouth of fools poureth out foolishness." ~Proverbs 15:2
Warnings: "Death and life [are] in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof." ~Proverbs 18:21
"Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles." ~Proverbs 21:23
"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 of hell." ~James 3:6
"But the tongue can no man tame; [it is] an unruly evil, full of deadly poison." ~James 3:8
There is the first chapter of Genesis, which shows how powerfully God uses words for good.
And, lastly, an admonition: "Let your speech [be] alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man." ~Colossians 4:6

God bless you all,
Rachel