A talebearer is one who speaks "whisperings"; that is, one who is unkind in his words.

The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.
(Prov. 18:8)

Unkind words are very hurtful to people, leaving deep, festering wounds in their hearts. It is probably less painful overall for most people for someone to slap them in the face than it is for that same person to say hurtful things to them or about them.

Since a slap is physical, in time the physical pain it produces will go away; but slanderous words are not so quickly forgotten or overcome because they cut right through to the innermost parts of a person's being.

Words possess a power to wound the heart like nothing else can:

Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall it eat the fruit thereof.
(Prov. 18:21)

This truth is very obvious in the area of foolish jesting. Most people who laugh with those who make jokes about them think later, "I know he was only joking, but did he really mean what he said about me?"

For this reason, we believers should always be careful to watch what we say in jest, to whom we say it, when we say it, and especially why we say it.

Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.
(Prov. 16:24)

Believers whose speech has been salted with the fruit of kindness will be able to speak pleasant words that bring health rather than harmful words that wound, for "life" as well as "death" is in the power of the tongue (Prov. 18:21).

Anybody can speak pleasant words when things are going well, but believers who have developed the fruit of kindness can speak pleasant words even in the midst of trials and persecutions.

Source: A Call for Character by Greg Zoschak
Excerpt permission granted by Harrison House Publishers