The Gossip Test

Excerpt from an article written for Machias Valley Baptist Church:

“Well, it’s true!” my daughter exclaimed emphatically.

“Just because it’s true, doesn’t mean you need to say it,“ I replied.

This was a repeated exchange in my house as we raised two girls who are only two years apart in age. As you can imagine, words and accusations flew around our house like flies around manu--, well, you get the idea. Sins of the tongue were a constant, and I often resorted to old school training measures, such as a dab of soap or hot sauce on the tongue for perpetual disobedience that involved their words. It was a training tool – I wanted them to remember the awful, nasty taste representing the foulness of their words so that their memory and self-control would kick in the next time they were tempted to spew hurtful words. Controlling our tongues is indeed difficult! My daughters, now almost 18 and 20, laugh about those days and they remember well their mom’s tactics to help them understand the gravity and power of their words.

My instruction to our children applies to adults too: Just because it’s true, doesn’t mean you need to say it. Our words need a better litmus test than that. Our words are potent. They carry weight and influence. They can make or break someone’s day. They can encourage or discourage. They can alter how one person views another. And once they are out of our mouth, we cannot take them back or undo what we have said.

You can read the entire article here.