Out of the same mouth are spoken words of love and hate.
Have you ever been the object of a tongue lashing by a spiteful person. Wow! Their tongue can cut better than any razor around. Did you really do anything that was so terrible, or was that person the kind that will use any opportunity to berate someone? Why is it so hard to say kind things to one another? If someone does something wrong, why not use that time to instruct instead of tearing that person down and ruining their self confidence? Does it make you feel any better, knowing that for one tiny moment in time you could point out someone’s faults? I know this all sounds a bit simplistic, but listen to the people around you. Does it make you feel better being in their company? If not, why are you? The old adage of, ‘you can catch more flies with honey than you can with vinegar,’ is true and it is why it has been around so long. Some new scandals have broken out in Hollywood, and by the sounds of it, the person used his power, to intimidate and make his victims fearful. He should be so proud. The late night ‘comedy’ people have taken tongue lashing to a whole new level. And we are supposed to laugh like there is no tomorrow. Do they think we are fools? Don’t they know we just shut them off, finding no comic relief in anything they are saying, and saying it over and over every night doesn’t make it any funnier.
Have you ever seen the movie, “The Mother in Law”, nothing nice ever comes out of Jane Fonda’s mouth. It almost seems impossible for her to see any good to her future Daughter-in Law. She nearly looses everything because of her attitude and her tongue. She told her son she loved him, but then spews hatred at others. That’s what is called talking out of both sides of your mouth. How can you believe anything someone like that says?
As parents we must always be vigilant in speaking kindness to our children, no matter what kind of day we have had, or how mad they have made us. It takes one hundred compliments to counter act one hateful, or disparaging remark. We need to wait to speak until we have cooled down, so we can instruct, and impart love and wisdom instead hurtful words.
We as authors may have the medium to invoke this kind of rhetoric, of hurtful and hateful words. But I ask you, what is a pound of flesh going for these days? Let us rise above the crowd and always be proud of what we write.
Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise: and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding.
Proverbs 17:28
If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain.
James 1:26
Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile.
Psalms 34:13
The tongue deviseth mischiefs; like a sharp razor, working deceitfully.
Psalms 52:2
Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips.
Psalms 141:3
Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles.
Proverbs 21:23