“Talk is cheap.”

That’s why you get multiple bids for your new counters or new roof, right?

But some speech is expensive. People do what they’re paid to do. Some are even paid to get elected. Then they get paid to speak. Some people think those elected are paid to speak whether their speaking accomplishes anything or not. But all speech accomplishes something.

Centuries ago, James said a big ship is moved by a small rudder. In WWII, the War Dept. advised people that “Loose lips sink ships.”

Death and life are in the power of the tongue (Proverbs 18:21). You reap what you sow (Galatians 6:7). And you’ll be held to account even for idle words (Matthew 12:36).

Look at the Tower of Babel. People wanted to build a tower to make a name for themselves. To show the world how wonderful they were. God confused the people’s language, and they were no longer able to work together.

That’s why language matters. Calling dark light, matters. Calling evil good, matters. Speaking idle, lazy, useless, unproductive words matters.

When words are subverted, chaos results. Sometimes when talk is cheap, it’s the most expensive.