Pro 11:13 Whoever goes about slandering reveals secrets, but he who is trustworthy in spirit keeps a thing covered.
As a teenager, I learned the power of words. One time I slandered the name of some friends because I could not get what I wanted. In retaliation, I took some truth and mixed it with lies and shared with others about them and it cut them deep.
Our world needs trustworthy people. Today character assassination by false accusations is spreading like cancer destroying lives, careers, and families. People slander out of jealousy, personal gain, or revenge. If we are about loving our neighbors, then we must commit to the truth, and what they entrust us with we must strive to retain what is committed us.
We have to be careful how we speak about people because words have consequences. “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits” (Pro 18:21). The tongue, though small, is powerful; God made it to be used for His glory. It becomes lethal left untamed. Let us desire to be slow to speak and quick to listen and retain. We are about building people, not tearing them down.