Troublemakers.

"Lord, fill my mouth with worthwhile stuff and nudge me when I've said enough."

-Anonymous

"But no one can tame the tongue. It is an uncontrollable evil, full of deadly poison."

-James 3:8

"A troublemaker plants seeds of strife; gossip separates the best of friends."

-Proverbs 16:28 NLT

"A perverse man sows strife, And a whisperer separates the best of friends."

-Proverbs 16:28 NKJV

This verse in Proverbs begins with a troublemaker and ends with a whisperer. I believe it's because the two are one. Have you ever noticed how much troublemakers whisper? Have you ever noticed how much of whispering is trouble? A large part of the strife that is caused is planned and executed quietly. Whispering keeps secret the plans of the evil and it also provides a way of communication that allows the gossip, lies, criticism, and condemnation to flow freely and undetected.

Don't you just hate it when two people in a room look your way, one puts a hand up beside his or her mouth, leans toward the other, and whispers? Naturally the assumption is, "They're talking about me!" And the assumption is usually accurate. But even if it's not true, whispering is still a rude thing to do, especially in public.

The Bible says whisperers separate even the best of friends. That happens because whispering is generally the communication of lies, criticism, condemnation, and gossip but in a lower, softer voice. Most whisperers don't confront their victims (that's right, victims), they simply round up their deadly-tongued and whispering friends, whisper their poison, and soon the news is all over the county. Someone said, "A lie goes around the world before the truth goes across the street!" No mechanical device builds up momentum quite as fast as the human tongue! Of course, we who are in the church never gossip, lie, and whisper, we only request prayer for others.

How can we become tongue-tamers? Here are some reminders that will help:

1. If we wouldn't write it and sign it, we shouldn't say it. We can always deny what we've said but what we write on paper speaks for itself (and for whoever said it).

2. Sometimes it's better not to say anything at all. It's still one of my favorite Proverbs so here it is again, "Even fools are thought to be wise when they keep silent; when they keep their mouths shut, they seem intelligent" (17:28). Not to speak wrongly about someone only requires silence.

3. What an oldie . . . Think before we speak. Wouldn't that put a lot of whisperers out of business! Wow! Wise men think without talking; troublemakers talk without thinking. A lot of things are opened by mistake, but none as often as the mouth. Think!

4. Think of others first. Philippians 2:3 tells us that we should always be " . . . thinking of others as better than ourselves." If we can ever reach that point in our lives it will eliminate the harm, hate, and hurt that whisperers and troublemakers quietly spread. What if we really did do unto others . . . ?

5. Keep our hearts right with the Father. Jesus told his followers that he did what he saw the Father do and he said what he heard the Father say. When we hang out with people, we become like them. If we'll hang out with the Father on a regular basis we'll become more and more like him . . . even our talk. We'll develop the heart of God. One's heart cannot be pure whose tongue is not clean.

6. Our focus should be on making peace, not trouble! The world is full of troublemakers but peacemakers are few. Jesus said, "Blessed are the peacemakers, For they shall be called the sons of God" (Matthew 5:9). If the peacemakers are blessed, what are the troublemakers? Hmmm.

7. Don't hang around with the listeners! We all know who they are. If whisperers didn't have whisperees who would we whisper to? Gossip, lies, criticism, whispering, and ungodly talk would die down considerably if the listeners went on strike. Refuse to listen to that poison. Listeners usually pass it on, so stop the flow. Remember Proverbs 10:19? "Don't talk too much, for it fosters sin. Be sensible and turn off the flow." We may not be able to turn off the flow coming in but we sure can turn off the flow going out: don't listen! Let the sewage dry up. If you don't take trash it in, you can't give it out! "Wrongdoers listen to wicked talk; liars pay attention to destructive words" (Proverbs 17:4).

If we will choose not to listen to wicked talk and not pay attention to destructive words, strife will dwindle, friendships will be strengthened, and trouble will take a nose-dive. We'll all probably talk less too.

Shhhh!