Sticks and Stones May Break My Bones

Many of you will find the following comment shocking; I (Peter) struggle with sarcasm.  See.  I've been digging into scripture to find both encouragement and correction in this area.  I find that the amount of sarcasm I use has increased lately and I need the Spirit to help me keep it in check.  I can throw out some zingers that are pretty funny but they really don't acheive anything other than making someone else look bad, which ultimately ends up making me look like a jerk (after everyone stops laughing).  I was looking for a devotional in this area and found the following.  It's about gossip, not sarcasm, but I think the same principal applies for all of the various ways that we use our word for something other than speaking the truth in love.

If you don't say it, they can't repeat it. Yiddish folklore offers a telling tale about gossip-makers. One such man had told so many malicious untruths about the local rabbi that, overcome by remorse, he begged the rabbi to forgive him. "And, Rabbi, tell me how I can make amends." The rabbi sighed, "Take two pillows, go to the public square and there cut the pillows open. Wave them in the air. Then come back." The rumormonger quickly went home, got two pillows and a knife, hastened to the square, cut the pillows open, waved them in the air and hastened back to the rabbi's chambers. "I did just what you said, Rabbi!" "Good." The rabbi smiled. "Now, to realize how much harm is done by gossip, go back to the square..." "And?" "And collect all your feathers."

From Hooray for Yiddish. (http://www.sermonillustrations.com/a-z/g/gossip.htm)

I have some feathers to pick up.  You?