loose lips

loose lips sink ships
sometimes those ships are relationSHIPS

This is an old saying with timeless truth to it.

We must be careful in what we speak with our mouths. Our tongues are the toughest 2.7 ounces we will ever do battle with. Paul tells us in his writings that we are to use our words to lift each other up and not destroy each other. I want to take a look at what God's Word has to say about loose lips:

Proverbs 20:19
A gossip goes around telling secrets, so don't hang around with chatterers.
Proverbs 25:10
Others may accuse you of gossip, and you will never regain your good reputation.
Proverbs 25:23
As surely as a north wind brings rain, so a gossiping tongue causes anger!
Proverbs 26:20
Fire goes out without wood, and quarrels disappear when gossip stops.
Psalm 41:6
They visit me as if they were my friends, but all the while they gather gossip, and when they leave, they spread it everywhere.
Proverbs 16:28
A troublemaker plants seeds of strife; gossip separates the best of friends.
Proverbs 17:4
Wrongdoers eagerly listen to gossip; liars pay close attention to slander.
Proverbs 11:13
A gossip goes around telling secrets, but those who are trustworthy can keep a confidence.
2 Corinthians 12:20
For I am afraid that when I come I won't like what I find, and you won't like my response. I am afraid that I will find quarreling, jealousy, anger, selfishness, slander, gossip, arrogance, and disorderly behavior.

The last one here, is Paul expressing his fears about what he is AFRAID he would find when he returned to Corinth. The things listed, were the worst things he could find in the church body, should they be present at the time of his return. Paul, who was stoned, beaten, and improsoned was more afraid of finding these qualities in the church than anything else he faced. Along with all the words of wisdom from King Solomon and King David about the subject, Paul shows the loose lips as one of the worst things he could encounter.

Proceed With Caution: A flaming tongue can be used to burn bridges unnecesarily.

Now what can we do with people who qualify as one with loose lips? Forgive them (forgive our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; Jesus in Matt 6)! Leave their punishment, conviction, and education to God. He's better at it than we are anyway.

What should we do if we are guilty of loose lips? Ask God for forgiveness first and foremost and then seek the forgiveness of those who have been our victims.

Going forward, we should use all of our words to praise God, lift up our brothers and sisters, and teach the world about Him!

Jesus told us in Matt 6:33 33 "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness......
If we are doing this, our words will be what they should be. If we are doing this, as well as following the rest of God's will, we will not be able to have loose lips. We will not be able to have our focus on the affairs of others if we are wholeheartedly focused on our Creator as we should.

Use your words to bless and not curse. Be a blessing to those around you and not a curse. Paul said in 1 Cor 8:13 .....for I don't want to cause another believer to stumble. Don't do things to cause your fellow believers to sin, the enemy does a good enough job at that, that he needs no help from Christ's followers.

I'll leave you to day with what Jesus said was the answer to the question "What is the greatest commandment?" and see how loose lips apply here.

Matthew 22:37-39
37 Jesus said to him, " 'You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' 38 "This is the first and great commandment. 39 "And the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'
Selah