Judges 11:30-31 — And Jephthah vowed a vow unto the Lord, and said, If thou shalt without fail deliver the children of Ammon into mine hands, then it shall be, that whatsoever cometh forth of the doors of my house to meet me, when I return in peace from the children of Ammon, shall surely be the Lord ‘s, and I will offer it up for a burnt offering.

In the Second World War the British Government ran a propaganda campaign — “Careless Talk Costs Lives”. The story of Jephthah’s careless vow and the tragic consequent death of his daughters is, perhaps, the most poignant Biblical example.
Not every instance of careless talk has such immediate, obvious, and painful consequences. But many a word spoken in haste can have dramatic unexpected effects, even to the extent of being a turning point — for good or ill — in the speakers life. Two such instances, one in each direction, crossed my mind today.
Let’s talk about Esau who sold his birthright to Jacob. The heart of the story is a few short verses in Genesis 25:

Now Jacob cooked a stew; and Esau came in from the field, and he was weary. And Esau said to Jacob, “Please feed me with that same red stew, for I am weary.” Therefore his name was called Edom. But Jacob said, “Sell me your birthright as of this day.” And Esau said, “Look, I am about to die; so what is this birthright to me?” (Genesis 25:29-32)

It probably didn’t seem like a big deal to Esau. Instant gratification instead of long-term prospects — food now instead of an inheritance later — seemed like a good idea. He had no thought of the longer term implications, or how God might regard such a transaction. Jacob was of another sort, and had God as his witness. There was probably already resentment between the brothers, fostered by their parents picking of favorites. Esau’s words were pivotal. His disdain for his birthright was the downhill turning point in his life. You know the story, I’m sure. Jacob steals his father’s blessing and becomes the patriarch of Israel. Esau marries Hittite women, and becomes the father of the Edomites, who become Israel’s bitterest enemies even to the time of the Idumean Herod the Great.
The other example that crossed my mind was Peter. His rash words became a turning point too — but unlike Esau’s turning, Peter’s turn was uphill. You know that story too. Peter swears, rashly, that he will never desert Jesus. Matthew tells the story:

Peter answered and said to Him, “Even if all are made to stumble because of You, I will never be made to stumble.” Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you that this night, before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” Peter said to Him, “Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You!” And so said all the disciples. (Matthew 26:33-35)

Jesus is captured. Peter denies him three times. The rooster crows … Peter could have crumbled, gone downhill, gone bad — but the story of Jesus’s forgiveness and Peter’s restoration and emergence as the rock Jesus had declare him to be is one of the most uplifting, to me, in all scripture.
We have no idea what the consequences of our careless words might be. But time and again the Bible — Old Testament and New — warns us to guard our tongues. Careless talk costs!