The Mouth as a Trap

(Proverbs 18:7 KJV)  A fool's mouth is his destruction, and his lips are the snare of his soul.

We read about the two edged sword in different contexts.  Here we see that talking too much can cause a double disaster.  The first is “destruction” (ruin NASB) (4288) in this life.  We can get in fights, lose friends, damage our reputation and who knows what else by a careless word at the wrong time.  That is bad enough.

But it seems to get worse.  It can also damage your “soul” (5315).  I don’t know how far to take this but it gives me the impression that an undisciplined mouth can eventually destroy my status before God.  That has eternal consequences. 

So?  How much encouragement do we need to stop talking and be polite?  Some need more than others.