Proverbs 4:23-24 (ESV)
23 Keep your heart with all vigilance,
for from it flow the springs of life.
24 Put away from you crooked speech,
and put devious talk far from you.
We must carefully guard our hearts, as their condition determines the direction of our lives. Our actions are motivated by our desires, so if we keep our hearts in check, our behavior will also be right. Along with the heart, we must also guard our mouths. Our speech reveals the state of our inner person. Jesus said, “What comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person” (Matthew 15:18-19). If one seeks wisdom, she must do away with lying, deceptive, insensitive, and other harmful words. What words have come out of your mouth lately? Were they honest, encouraging, and loving? Or were they deceitful, critical, harsh, or mean? Determine to speak in a way consistent with wisdom. The woman who chooses to do so will end up refining not only her words but her heart as well.