We are back with Pastor and author Ray Orland filling in for John Piper, who is on an

extended writing leave right now, working on his next book, which I hope to tell you

more about soon.

Ray and in your Proverbs commentary, which is outstanding and I commend it to every listener.

In your Proverbs commentary, you write this, quote, I have never seen adultery send a whole

church into meltdown.

Gossip by contrast is often perceived as a little sin, but it destroys churches, end

quote.

Those are strong words, explain the devastating power of gossip.

Yes.

Well, the Bible says that life and death are in the power of the tongue, what an amazing

thing.

You know, the old saying, sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never

harm me.

That is not true.

But how does that actually work?

Life and death in the power of the tongue.

As I thought about it, Tony, it seems to me that we really experience reality within community.

We figure out, as we go through life, we figure out who we are by the paybacks we get from

other people.

We go to the Bible for the big question of who is humanity, but when it comes to the

smaller question, who am I, within that humanity, we have to notice how other people are responding

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