In Nepal, my new team challenged me to stop mocking people. If I do begin to mock someone, I must stop immediately and hug that person and give them a compliment. I have never realized how much I mocked people until this challenge was set out for me.
There were instances when I would mock my teammate and then give em a hug and compliment and as I am walking back, I would mock em again. Other times, my teammates would set me up so that I would mock them.
When my teammates reminded me that I had to give em a hug and compliment it would began to make me angry. Because I knew what I had to do and didn’t need any reminders. At first it was humorous but after awhile I realized that it is such a difficult thing to tame the tongue (James 3:3-12).
Though my mocking is not malicious to harm other people, but it is a good exercise to discipline the words that I share. In both the new and old testament, it instructs us to use our words wisely than using it for foolish things.
A wise man’s heart guides his mouth, and his lips promote instruction
– Proverbs 16:23
A man of knowledge uses words with restraint and a man of understanding is even – tempered
– Proverbs 17:27
The tongue has the power of life and death and those who love it will eat its fruit
– Proverbs 18:21
Out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks
– Matthew 12:36
Slow to speak, quick to listen and slow to become angry
– James 1:9
