An evildoer listens to wicked lips; a liar listens to a malicious tongue. Proverbs 17:4, TLV

Is a Malicious Tongue Causing You Fear?     Before we “blink” past this proverb, it’s relevant to point out that “wicked lips” don’t have to spread lies. They can just as easily cause harm with gossip and rumors… and fear. With the current political climate, foresight and wisdom is prudent, but promoting drama and fear is malicious.

Bond with Gossip??

There are enough studies out there to indicate a lot of people listen to gossip and rumors. A study from the University of Amsterdam says 90% of office chatting is centered around gossip. Their report explains the reason as, “It’s a way for workers to bond.” Really?

Knowing someone else’s information without their permission seems to give people a sense of power. Conveying information to intentionally frighten them, is also attempting to control others.

Gossip is so rampant that magazines and television programs have developed more than a $3 billion industry dedicated to celebrity gossip. Likewise, news outlets are profiting from sensational headlines that pull in worried viewers and readers. The more viewers and readers the more they can increase their revenue by charging their sponsors more.

Wicked Lips are Busy

So, it would seem, my friends, “wicked lips” are more active than we think.

How about within our congregations, fellowships, and ministries? I suspect a sizable number of those prayer requests for others contain more information than is necessary. Generally speaking, if the request for prayer takes longer than the prayer, something is probably off.

A liar doesn’t understand and care about the value of truth. They play with it — manipulate it. They steal it for their own purposes. It makes them feel they are in control of others’ fate or emotions. I believe the same applies to stirring up fear.

As children of the Most High, we do understand that truth is sacred. We’ve all been damaged by the father of lies. But, I’m thinking, we don’t always see the subtleties of deception and how it can sneak into the way we treat truth.

How do I know this? Because senseless and unnecessary panic is everywhere. Just try listening to politicians spreading fear.

How Do We Handle Truth?

How do we examine truth? Can understanding the value of truth keep us from mistreating it?

It’s impossible for this little blog to place this understanding under a spiritual microscope. To dissect it and see how each component works. And, we all have our weaknesses — using half-truths to convey deception.

Set a guard, ADONAI [LORD], over my mouth.
Keep watch over the door of my lips. Psalm 141:3, TLV

Perhaps the best way to begin is to watch what we say about others — and to others. Even if we have someone’s permission to speak about them to others, we must treat that information carefully, respectfully.

As this pertains to promoting fear, perhaps we can begin by using outlets that are reliable, and not over-indulging in how much time we spend doing that. Then, remember what our Heavenly Father says about fear.

And Now a Word from Our “Sponsor”

There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and the one who fears has not been made perfect in love. 1 John 4:18, TLV

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me: Your rod and Your staff comfort me. Psalm 23:4, TLV

I sought ADONAI [the LORD], and He answered me, and delivered me from all my fears. Psalm 34:5, TLV

Therefore we will not fear, though the earth change, though the mountains topple into the heart of the seas . . . Psalm 46:3

Indeed, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. So do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows. Luke 12:7, TLV

For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall again into fear; rather, you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” Romans 8:15, TLV

I guess it would be wise for us to pray and pursue the good stewardship of truth. Perhaps, we should pay attention to those anxious and fearful thoughts and hold them up to the light of GOD’s truth. Really, we can’t go wrong with that.

Have malicious tongues caused you fear? How do you fight against that?

May the LORD keep watch over our lips, my friends.

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