A person’s tongue is an instrument. He can utilize it in a positive manner, or he can utilize it negatively.

Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi made a feast for his students. He brought before them soft tongue meat and coarse tongue meat. They began selecting the soft ones and forsaking the coarse ones. Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi said to them: Be aware of what you are doing. Just as you are choosing the soft tongues and forsaking the coarse ones, so too, you should speak to each other with a gentle tongue. (Vayikra Rabba, 33)