Proverbs 18:6-8

6A fool’s lips enter into contention,
And his mouth calls for blows.
7A fool’s mouth is his destruction,
And his lips are the snare of his soul.
8The words of a talebearer are like tasty trifles,
And they go down into the inmost body.
-Proverbs 18:6-8

There is a certain pattern that we see emerging in this Proverb. To simplify a bit, the words of a fool testify of his foolishness. It is not just the words themselves, though that plays a major part in it. It is how those words are directed. They enter into contentions, call for blows, cause destruction, and snares his soul. Certainly, this is not behavior we want to emulate. The unfortunate reality is that we see behavior like this being spread throughout the world and promoted as a good thing. Do not believe the lies. As Paul teaches in Ephesians, our words must be used in what is necessary for edification. Let us be wise in how we speak and the intent of our words. Do not use them haughtily. Use them graciously.