Proverbs 10:19-21 (ESV)
19 When words are many, transgression is not lacking,
but whoever restrains his lips is prudent.
20 The tongue of the righteous is choice silver;
the heart of the wicked is of little worth.
21 The lips of the righteous feed many,
but fools die for lack of sense.
The more words, the greater the opportunity for sin. Therefore, the one who restrains herself from talking too much is wise. When the wise speak, they are thoughtful and use care rather than spewing out whatever comes to mind. The wise person realizes the power of her speech and keeps a guard upon her tongue. When the righteous speak, their words are valuable and free of worthless components. But the wicked person’s speech is steeped in evil because of the darkness she holds in her heart. The words of the righteous bring life to those who hear, but those who listen to the fool end up dying, as the fool’s speech is empty and devoid of anything life-giving. What kinds of words come from your mouth? Do they feed and encourage the hearers, or do they break down and dishearten others? How would your husband, kids, or parents respond to the same question if they had to answer about you?