Among the more dangerous pitfalls in life concerning the use of the tongue are the excuses we use to justify and continue habitual behaviors. What we think about will reveal itself in what we say. A mind fed by godly wisdom can control that most wild of all members, the tongue. As we grow in that great wisdom, our words will become fresh and reliable. We will lose the sharp edge from our tongues. Our speech will not be duplicitous, like grapes growing on a fig tree or bitter waters emerging from a freshwater spring. Once we emerge out of the ruts of human habit in our communication, we will truly begin to express what is true, noble, pure, lovely, and good. Our words will convey virtue and offer praise to God, uplifting those who hear us. Righteousness will come to fruition in an atmosphere of peace.

Hurt feelings often arise from perceived slights, ranging from mild irritation to deep resentment and indignation. These feelings can emerge when someone speaks harshly, ignores us, overlooks our contributions, or blames us unjustly. They may also occur when we feel used or treated thoughtlessly. While such experiences are common, they generally fall short of the severe biblical concept of offense, which often implies a risk to one's salvation depending on our reaction. The progression from mere irritation to bitter anger and retaliation can divide even close relationships, as hurt feelings, if not addressed, build into grudges and bitterness, which are sins. Love, as described in I Corinthians 13:5, offers a powerful counter to hurt feelings. It is not irritable, resentful, or quick to take offense, nor does it keep a record of wrongs. Love does not insist on its own way and is not provoked, enabling us to override temptations to sin that arise from offenses. In contrast, pride fuels irritation and resentment when vanity is wounded, brooding over perceived threats and seeking to elevate oneself or retaliate. When love dominates, the likelihood of becoming offended through hurt feelings diminishes significantly. The best defense against hurt feelings leading to offense is a strong, growing relationship with God. Loving His law, as mentioned in Psalm 119:165, brings great peace and stability, reducing the enticement to stray from His path. By lavishing affection on God through obedience, prayer, and meditation on His Word, we build a bond that helps us resist taking offense. Even when hurt feelings arise, a nurtured relationship with God provides the strength to meet them with a loving, confident, and peaceful attitude, viewing offenders with compassion.

In the journey of faith, it is all too easy for hurt feelings to become a stumbling block, as they often stem from a sense of being unfairly treated or undervalued, a vulnerability that satan exploits with cunning precision. This adversary prowls like a roaring lion, seeking to take advantage of our emotions, especially when we feel put upon by government, employers, or even within the sacred bonds of marriage, stirring us toward self-satisfaction rather than self-denial. In I Peter 2:13-15 and 2:18, we are urged to submit to authority, whether to kings or harsh masters, not out of weakness, but for the Lord's sake, controlling our emotions to avoid rebellion, which indirectly questions God's management of His creation. Further, in I Peter 2:19-21, enduring grief wrongfully with patience is commended, not for the suffering itself, but for submitting to God's will, following the example of Christ, who, when reviled, did not retaliate but committed Himself to the righteous Judge. Within marriage, as addressed in I Peter 3, emotions can run particularly high, making us susceptible to feeling oppressed by those closest to us, yet we are called to compassion, tenderness, and courtesy, rejecting the urge to return evil for evil, a tactic satan would encourage. I Peter 3:9 advises blessing instead of reviling, echoing the call to turn the other cheek, while I Peter 5:6-8 reminds us to humble ourselves under God's mighty hand, casting our cares upon Him, remaining vigilant against the devil who seeks to devour the strays—those who, wearied by trials, begin to separate themselves. Our natural inclination to feel taken advantage of, as seen in I Peter 4:12-13, must not be viewed as strange, but as a sharing in Christ's sufferings, with the promise of joy when His glory is revealed. Satan, having fallen prey to his own vanity and hurt feelings over not receiving his perceived due, mirrors this pattern in us, either instigating such emotions or amplifying them when they arise, pushing us toward lies and self-justification as he did from the beginning. In the church, as depicted in I Corinthians 1:10-13 and 8:1-3, hurt feelings manifest in divisions and contentions, fueled by pride and self-righteous knowledge that puffs up, leading to gossip, accusations, and withdrawal from fellowship, a slow drift toward self-indulgence rather than love. Satan's ultimate aim is to move us toward self-centeredness, the true opposite of love, where we operate at the expense of God and others, a direction we must vigilantly resist by sanctifying God in our hearts, making His word the focus over the spirit of this world, as urged in I Peter 3:15.