The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom, but a perverse tongue will be cut out. Proverbs 10:31

Remember when your mom told you that if you “ever use that kind of language again, I’ll wash your mouth out with soap?” Her point was clear: you swear or tell dirty jokes again and you will regret it. There was a reason she said what she said: “good kids don’t need to resort to perverse language to communicate.” And she was right. It wasn’t healthy to use then and little has changed to make it more acceptable or more healthy to us it now.

But there is even a subtler form of perverse language that we engage in that is equally destructive: insults and put downs. It could come in the form of sarcasm or snide remarks.

Pay careful attention to your “off-color” language today as it relates to insults and put downs. You don’t know the battles that others are facing. You don’t know the pressures that person is under (whether real or perceived, it doesn’t matter). Tame your tongue.

Speak life and encouragement into someone’s life today.