Snare to One's Soul

For Thursday, June 22, 2006
Proverbs 18:7

A fool's mouth is his ruin,
and his lips are a snare to his soul.

By his mouth the fool shows lack of wisdom and thus loses the respect of others. He irritates others with his thoughtless remarks; he offends; he makes himself a bore; he betrays confidences; twists the words of others; shows arrogance; stirs up trouble. And all the while is troubled that he does not get a fair hearing!

Sometimes a fool can tell the truth, but because he has developed a reputation of a fool he will not be believed. His mouth has become his ruin. He grows in resentment; he turns to other fools who will hear him. And thus his lips become a snare to his soul as he leaves the path of life and wanders into the way of the wicked.

If you have a history of getting into trouble because of your mouth, do whatever you must do now to control your tongue. Seek accountability with respected brothers and sisters; read books on the subject; seek counsel from those known for their good speech. Do it now; do not put off getting help, for your tongue is a snare for your soul; it will bring you to ruin. James 3:9 warns of those who with the same tongue bless God and curse those made in the image of God. This is not to be taken lightly.