Watch Your Mouth

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Proverbs 15:4

The soothing tongue is a tree of life, but a perverse tongue crushes the spirit.

What does it mean to have a perversion in our tongues?  The dictionary defines perversion this way:  The alteration of something from its original course, meaning, or state to a distortion or corruption of what was first intended.  The original perversion took place in the Garden of Eden when Adam and Eve's sin perverted their relationship with God.  In regards to speech, God lays out His definition of undistorted speech in Philippians 4:8.  Does your speech match God's definition, or does it pervert and distort what God calls good? (Character Matters, p. 10, Dr. Steve and Megan Scheibner)

There a a number of ways that a "soothing tongue" can be a tree of life.  There is encouragement, compliments, edification, words of comfort, words of love, a soft and loving tone, forgiveness, understanding, etc.  

There are just as many ways that a "perverse tongue can crush the spirit":  Lying, cursing, vulgarity, course joking, gossip/slander, verbal abuse, yelling, belittling, betraying a confidence, etc.

I like how the Scheibner's go all the way back to the Garden of Eden to begin the conversation of perverse speech.  Think about it.  Satan's first attack was a verbal assault on God's Word, "Did God really say?"

Then Eve indulged him by exaggerating what God had actually said.  The conversation spiraled downward from there.

The same is true for us.  You probably have people in your life whom you are more prone to perverse speech when you are around.  This is one of the reasons why we have to watch our associations closely.  It is an easy trap to fall into.  We automatically talk like the people we are around.

Words are amazingly powerful.  Unfortunately, most people don't wield that power with much responsibility.  That's why we need to.  Shower words on people with your soothing tongue.  Be intentional about your words being a "tree of life".  You have to do this in conjunction with eliminating the habit of using your words to crush spirits.  This isn't either/or.  It takes both.  Increase your soothing words with everyone, while also eliminating the perverse words that crush the spirit.

Let's finish with two passages of Scripture.  One tells us how God wants us to speak.  The other is a warning against what perverse speech looks (sounds) like.

Ephesians 5:4-5

Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or course joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving.  For of this you can be sure:  No immoral, impure or greedy person--such a person is an idolater--has any inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ and of God.

Philippians 4:8

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things.

God bless

Jason Fredrick