Epitaph

After a funeral the other day I wandered through the cemetery and came upon a headstone with the following epitaph - "Here lies a life well spent, so all you gossips be content, for only God knows which way I went." The old saying that "sticks and stones may break my bones but words can never hurt me" doesn't ring true. Words are very powerful and can do great damage to relationships. It is evident by this epitaph that this person didn't like being talked about, especially when it came to heresay. James writes, "And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell" (James 3:6). James also reminds us that no man can tame the tongue (3:8). Therefore, knowing that we can't tame it completely, two things must be kept in mind. 1) The speaker needs to speak with godliness and great caution. 2) The hearer needs to have a forgiving heart and consider their own words. Otherwise, our epitaphs will not be as honorable as they should be.