call it “The Micah Report.” Delivered regularly and with enthusiasm, it’s my daughter Molly’s record of the latest infractions committed by her little brother. Of course, she claims she really doesn’t want to tell us about them. She is only thinking of his welfare after all!

Micah, for his part, is the family “bean spiller.” He really doesn’t mean to do it. Somehow, embarrassing — and sometimes distorted — tidbits about various family members just seem to “slip out.” Like the time he blurted to the neighbors who we shared rides to school with that, “Mom hates carpooling,” after I’d mentioned I missed taking him and Molly to school everyday. Oops!

Battles with our tongues don’t end in childhood, do they? Sharing unflattering information about others, divulging confidences … it’s easy to do — too easy.

In the Bible, King David had loose lips, too. Just look at the book of Psalms. “A man after God’s own heart,” David continually talked about the latest blessing God gave him. In Psalm 71:8, he said, “My mouth is filled with your praise, declaring your splendor all day long.” So maybe a big mouth can be a good thing. It all depends on Who we’re talking about.