Proverbs 24:28, 29

Driving home: That's the tit-for-tat mentality, and oh how our kids have it ingrained in them. You say mean words to me, I'll say mean words back to you.

Martin illustrates the 'tit-for-tat' mentality by describing how children respond to mean words with meaner words, highlighting its early ingrained nature.

witness and deception, but look at verse 29. I say not, I will do so to him as he has done to me. I will render to the man according to his works. That's the tit-for-tat mentality, and oh how our kids have it ingrained in them. You say mean words to me, I'll say mean words back to you.

0:24 - 0:43 Read in full sermon

The point: Continually teach your children that retaliatory speech is unacceptable.

He provides a dialogue where a child justifies calling someone 'more dumb, more stupid, and uglier' because they were first called 'dumb and stupid and ugly,' demonstrating the 'two wrongs don't make a right' principle.

the lips, and we must seek to lay before our children continually. This is unacceptable. Yes, but she told me I was dumb and stupid and ugly. Yes, that's what she said to you. But did

1:01 - 1:15 Read in full sermon

The point: Continually teach your children that retaliatory speech is unacceptable.

Martin connects the failure to teach children against retaliation to adult marital tensions, where spouses engage in constant verbal warfare due to this ingrained 'tit-for-tat' behavior.

that mean it was right for you to say she's more dumb, more stupid, and uglier? Two wrongs don't make a right. And what is the problem with many adult marital tensions? That we have to deal with his pastors. People were not taught this as children. So now they

1:15 - 1:28 Read in full sermon

The point: Teach your children hymns that address cross words and angry names.

He quotes a hymn by Isaac Watts that condemns speaking ill of others, railing, cross words, and angry names, and warns of the dangers of mocking holy things or men, reinforcing the sermon's theme on speech.

Ask the Lord and not speak ill of men. When others give a railing word, we must not rail again. Cross words and angry names require to be chastised at school, and he's in danger of hellfire that calls his brother fool. But lips that dare be so profane to mock and jeer and scoff at holy things or holy men, the Lord shall cut them off. When children in their wanton,

1:54 - 2:24 Read in full sermon

The point: Teach your children hymns that address cross words and angry names.

He continues quoting Watts' hymn, which recounts the story of the children who mocked Elisha and were torn by bears, serving as a severe warning about the consequences of wicked speech, even from the young.

play Sir Gold Elisha so, and bade the prophet go his way, go up thou bald head, go. God quickly stopped their wicked breath, and sent two raging bears that tore them limb from limb to death, with blood and groans and tears. Great God, how terrible art thou to sinners, e'er so young. Grant me thy grace, and teach me how to tame.

2:24 - 2:52 Read in full sermon