The tongue can bring death or life; those who love to talk will reap the consequences.

~Proverbs 18:21 NLT

I never knew what might erupt from our second-oldest grandson. What our speech reveals can surprise the best of us.

Near the beginning of one summer, he developed a case of strep throat. My wife and I noticed a rash on his face. Then, later, he opened his mouth wide for some unknown reason, and my wife noticed white spots covering his throat. At the pediatrician’s office, they swabbed his throat, diagnosed him with strep, and gave him an antibiotic. One week later, his younger brother was diagnosed with the same, so the pediatrician suggested we bring Levi back to make sure his strep had cleared up.

While on the way, he asked his mom, “Are they gonna check my toes, Mom?”

“Your toes?”

“Yeah, I need them to check my toes because these Crocs hurt.”

Curious as to what he was talking about, our daughter asked, “Baby, are your shoes too small?”

“Yeah, that’s what I’m talking about,” he said.

Kids may say the darndest things, but I have also said some things as an adult that I regretted. Wise King Solomon got it right when he pronounced the tongue as an instrument of life and death. While I can’t literally bring someone to life or end their life with the instrument in my mouth, I can cause them to live or die in other ways.

This grandson is known for saying strange things. But since he can’t invent stuff he’s never heard, we know he has heard them either on the television, iPad, radio, a DVD, or–perish the thought–from us.

Speech reveals what has influenced us, which means we need to tend to our environment. Spending too much time with seedy individuals, whether directly or indirectly, increases the risk that we’ll copy their behavior. And our behavior most often comes out in our words.

Speech also reveals our priorities. It’s natural to talk the most about what’s important to us. Since I love my family, writing, reading, and grammar, I tend to center my words on them. But since I love God more, actually the most, I should speak of Him more often than I do anything else. Not to the point that I’m obnoxious, but regularly.

Remember that when you speak, others see your soul.

Father, may the words we speak reflect love for You and others.

Genre: Non-fiction

Copyright 2025: What Our Speech Reveals: Martin Wiles: All Rights Reserved.