Jody Broyles

Marital counselors say that poor communication is the main problem in 86% of all troubled marriages! Since we all learned to talk many years before we ever married, shouldn’t this be an easy one to get right?

Well…no! Poor communication plagues nearly every relationship in life—we see it in politics, the business world, the sport’s arena, race relations, etc. It affects children on the playground and adults in the board room.

The wise man of scripture said in the long ago, Death and life are in the power of the tongue (Proverbs 18:21). This is abundantly clear—words can be cutting and leave bloodless scars that last far longer than physical ones. As a case in point, if you were to stop reading this right now, how long would it take for you to remember some hurtful words that were said to you years ago? (For most of us, a few seconds at most.)

So, listen to one simple piece of advice from the same wise man: Whoever guards his mouth and tongue keeps his soul from troubles (Proverbs 21:23). Whether in marriage, on the job, or dealing with friends and brethren, be careful what you say!