There’s a certain kind of person who walks into a room and brings the temperature down. Not because they’re cold—but because their presence sucks the warmth out of any space. Or their presence online is just as toxic—infecting comment sections, stirring division, and hiding behind a screen to inflict damage without accountability. They wear mockery like a badge. Sarcasm is their weapon. Tearing people apart is their sport, and they don’t care who they wound in the process. If someone’s hurting, they see it as an opportunity—not for compassion, but for cruelty. And sadly, they’re not rare.
They are instigators. They bait people into conflict. They stir the pot just to watch others boil. They don’t seek peace—they sabotage it.
Proverbs 6:16–19 is clear: “There are six things that the Lord hates, seven that are an abomination to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers.”
God hates it. Not disapproves of it. Not frowns upon it. Hates it.
You can be clever, you can be loud, you can be witty, but if your mouth is a loaded gun aimed at people’s dignity—you’re not bold, you’re wicked. Proverbs 10:23 says, “Doing wrong is like a joke to a fool, but wisdom is pleasure to a man of understanding.” So what makes you laugh tells the world what kind of person you are. Do you laugh when others are humiliated? When people fall apart? That’s not confidence—it’s cruelty.
Let’s be clear: No amount of “I’m just joking” excuses sin.
Proverbs 26:18–19 says: “Like a madman who throws firebrands, arrows, and death is the man who deceives his neighbor and says, ‘I am only joking!’”
If your humor is poison disguised as personality, God sees it. And He doesn’t laugh with you. He stands against you.
We live in a time where people confuse harshness with strength. They think being unfiltered is a virtue. It’s not. It’s flesh. The Bible calls self-control a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22–23). Anyone can run their mouth. But it takes a real man or woman of God to bridle the tongue.
James 3:8 says, “No human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.”
But what’s impossible in the flesh is possible through Christ.
If you’re the kind of person who thrives on belittling others, there’s still time to change. God doesn’t just call you out—He calls you in. To repentance. To humility. To the kind of strength that lifts others up instead of tearing them down.
Jesus said in Matthew 12:36–37, “I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”
Let that settle in. Every post. Every insult. Every joke at someone else’s expense—it’s all being recorded.
This isn’t about being perfect. It’s about being accountable. You can’t hide behind personality when the fruit of your life is bitterness, strife, and division. You can’t wear the title of “truth teller” if truth isn’t spoken in love. And you can’t walk with Christ while walking all over people.
If you find joy in stirring up drama—check your heart. If you can’t go a day without mocking someone—check your soul. Because if Christ is in you, then kindness should be flowing out of you. And if not? It’s time to get real with yourself—and with God.
Ephesians 4:29 says, “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.”
And if that doesn’t sound like you, it’s time to ask: Do I just need an attitude adjustment—or do I need a Savior?
Because sometimes the loudest mouth is covering the deepest emptiness. And the ones who tear others down? They’re often the most broken themselves. But broken doesn’t justify bitter. Hurt people may hurt people—but healed people stop the cycle.
There’s still time. Repent. Apologize. Change. Jesus forgives. But you’ve got to come clean. Because sooner or later, that tongue that cuts others might just cut off your own influence, your relationships, and your future.
And when that happens—you’ll care.