Proverbs 17:4&5
An evildoer listens to wicked lips; A liar pays attention to a destructive tongue. He who mocks the poor taunts his Maker; He who rejoices at calamity will not go unpunished. NASB
Outside influences affect our actions toward others. As we have seen from previous studies, our heart is a storehouse from which we speak and act. Therefore, it is important that we are careful about what we harbor in our heart.
Our senses are one of the pathways to our heart. What we listen to or hear about is one entry point. Another entry point is what we observe with our eyes. But these alone do not automatically mean we are storing up evil. We also need to be aware of the kind of reception our heart is going to give these things when we listen to wicked lips or a destructive tongue. What is the condition of the heart that rejoices at someone’s calamity? Are we guilty of mocking the unfortunate? These reveal the core of our heart.
God is concerned about our core beliefs. Verse 20 warns us, He who has a crooked mind finds no good, And he who is perverted in his language falls into evil. NASB
Matthew 7:1&2 is wisdom that applies here.