Proverbs 11:9

The book of Proverbs gives us a lot of instruction on a lot of different subjects. One subject that can keep us in God’s wisdom is Godly Follower-ship. Who we follow; where we follow; how we follow are all spoken about in Proverbs. Here is one of them about how we talk to someone: 

Proverbs 11:9

With his mouth the godless man destroys his neighbor,

But through knowledge the righteous will be delivered.

Some people use their words to destroy and some use their words to deliver.   According to this proverb, these two seem to be based upon a person's standing before God.   A man who has no place for God (godless) will use his mouth to inflict harm on his neighbor.   A person who has been declared righteous (only possible through faith in God) will use the knowledge he has to deliver himself and, by implication, others.   The godless can try to hurt the righteous but the knowledge obtained by the righteous through their faith in God will allow them to be delivered (that does not mean they won’t be attacked by the ungodly). Those who walk with God ought not fear the words of the wicked.   In fact, worrying about the words of the wicked and putting them high no your list of fears is paramount to idolatry.  Righteousness provides the knowledge necessary to avoid the godless mouth.   We are told in Ephesians 6 that the "breastplate" of righteousness is giving to us to protect us from the attacks of godlessness.   Don't be discouraged by the tongue of the wicked.  The position we have in Christ means the hurtful and destructive words of a godless world will not harm us.  To fear them is to honour them and worship them.  The righteous do not worship the words of the godless.