“Evildoers are trapped by their sinful talk, and so the innocent escape trouble.”

Years ago, a local ministry leader used to tell me how beautiful my wife was. I certainly was already aware of that, but it was a bit uncomfortable, yet kind of him to say so, I guess. Over time, he continued to tell me that, and I finally let him know that I realized it and that he no longer needed to remind me. I didn’t know if it was his way of making sure I never doubted it or that I didn’t look to other women for what I had at home. He was the head of a counseling ministry, and although I was in grad school for counseling/psychology at the time, I wrote it off as some kind of counseling technique to strengthen marriages, I guess. Not long after, he left his wife for a woman he was seeing in counseling. It turns out she wasn’t the first client he was involved with. The underlying discomfort I felt when I was around him, as he reminded me that he noticed my wife’s external beauty, was revealed for where it came from—he was “checking her out.” In reflection, I wondered how many of these women he deceived with his flattering tongue. Solomon reminds us that evil intent often presents itself first through a person’s speech. If we listen with Kingdom hearts, we can hear sin before it takes shape. Flattery, lies, and gossip often precede acts of sin. I have had very successful members of The Edge ministry tell me that, in listening to possible partners, vendors, or customers, they occasionally walked away from potential profits because of things they heard the prospects say. Today, listen carefully and speak truth and kindness. #BeTheEdge

“Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.” Ephesians‬ ‭4‬:‭15‬ ‭NIV‬‬