Your Speech Shows It

by Terry Wane Benton

"As Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant-girls of the high priest came, and seeing Peter warming himself, she looked at him and *said, "You also were with Jesus the Nazarene." But he denied it, saying, "I neither know nor understand what you are talking about." And he went out onto the porch, and a rooster crowed. The servant-girl saw him, and began once more to say to the bystanders, "This is one of them!" But again he denied it. And after a little while the bystanders were again saying to Peter, "Surely you are one of them, for you are a Galilean too." But he began to curse and swear, "I do not know this man you are talking about!" Immediately a rooster crowed a second time. And Peter remembered how Jesus had made the remark to him, "Before a rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times." And he began to weep" (Mark 14:66-72).

To those venomous unbelieving Jews in Jerusalem, gathered that early morning around the fire, it seemed to be a strong inference that Peter was associated with Jesus. His speech was Galilean in style and enunciation, and Jesus was Galilean. Who among Galileans would be up and present here at this hour? Thus, an inference is that “this is one of them” (troublers) and “your speech shows it!”

I wonder if being a disciple of Jesus was a crime, would there be enough evidence to convict us? Would our speech show it? Is our speech so unlike the world? Holy? Non-vulgar? Never any profanity or coarse jesting? Never any taking of the Lord’s name in vain? Do you talk about moral issues and righteousness a lot? Does your speech avoid gossip, and contain a lot of thanksgiving? Does your speech show faith, hope, and love? Do you speak of Bible knowledge and love for Jesus? Does your speech show that you are a real disciple of Jesus? Or, does your speech hide the light? Does it fit with the world? Or does it fit with Jesus? What does your speech make others conclude about you? More importantly, what does God know about you? Serious reflection now can do us eternal good!