More Harmful than Swine Flu

We've all heard the news. Swine flu! Beware! Swine flu! Cover your face!

I'm not try to make light of any illness or death that has occurred due to the current flu that has hit our world. We saw more than one person on our flight home Tuesday with a mask on. But there is something far greater than Swine flu and it has been around almost since the beginning of time.


Jesus said in Matthew 15:11 "Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man." It is our words that can cause more harm than any disease or virus. And in today's environment of viral networking, words that attack can spread at lightning speed.

James chapter 3 covers the subject of our tongue thoroughly:

1 My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.
2 For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.
3 Behold, we put bits in the horses' mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body.
4 Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth.
5 Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!
6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.
7 For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind:
8 But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.
9 Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God.
10 Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.

I wonder how our lives would be if each of us treated gossip like the flu? If we covered our mouths instead of spewing. If we did our best to stay away from others who were infected. If we kept our children away from those that could infect them.



Gossip can be disguised as a well meaning "I thought you should know..." but we all know, you can put lipstick on a pig, but it's still a pig.

Psalm 19:14 "Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer."