“A man shall eat well by the fruit of his mouth, but the soul of the unfaithful feeds on violence. He who guards his mouth preserves his life, but he who opens wide his lips shall have destruction” (Proverbs 13:2-3).
From 1962 to 1966, the American Broadcasting Company ran a comedy titled “McHale’s Navy”. With the comedic actor Tim Conway playing Ensign Parker, the show provided many laughs. In an effort to help his naïve and loquacious shipmate from creating greater problems for him and his crew, Lt. Commander McHale would often remind his bumbling second-in-command that “Loose lips sink ships.”
The proverbs above clearly declare that loose lips will damage much more than naval vessels. A guarded mouth which speaks wisely and thoughtfully will preserve peace and well-being. An unguarded mouth (especially when the abundance of the heart it speaks for is evil) will ensure a life of grief, friction, and, ultimately, destruction.
Just as “loose lips sink ships”, an unguarded mouth will torpedo your own life. Such self-destruction is completely avoidable.
