Why Tame Your Tongue

The tongue is a very powerful organ. Aside from its anatomical and biological functions, the tongue has the power of healing when used to articulate the correct words. However, it also has the power of destroying and poisoning those who hear us or those affected by our words in some way or another, as is the case with gossip. Not only can our words be detrimental to others, they can also be detrimental to ourselves. Take, for example, this observation by Leonardo DaVinci:

“Oysters open completely when the moon is full; and when the crab sees one it throws a piece of stone or seaweed into it and the oyster cannot close again so that it serves the crab for meat. Such is the fate of him who opens his mouth too much and thereby puts himself at the mercy of the listener.”

Ah, the truth in those words! The less we talk, the better off we will be. I don’t believe Leonardo wanted the world to turn into a taciturn place. Rather, he observed that we should be careful in what we say, as every word that comes out of our mouth can turn into our own trap.

The Bible also talks about the prudence of keeping our mouth shut, as stated by Prov. 10:9:

“In the abundance of words there does not fail to be transgression, but the one keeping his lips in check is acting discreetly.”

Once again, the more we speak, the more chances we will mess up. Therefore, keep your mouth in check. Remember the power the tongue holds, and use it to heal and cure, by speaking the right words at the right time. Steer away from any criticisms, gossips, and “backstabbing.” Learn what words others need to hear to feel better. I guarantee you, not only will you be helping others, but you will also be helping yourself.