Just Words?

From: The Upper Room Ministries

Matthew 12:34,36-37 "The mouth speaks whatever fills the mind. I assure you on judgment day people will be held accountable for every unguarded word they speak. By your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned."

HARSH words had cascaded from my mouth with the force of rushing water. Ouch! I immediately wanted to take back the hurtful remark. However, just like rushing water, the words could not be stopped nor their force negated. It wasn't that the words weren't true - or even justified. They were just more harsh than the situation required. However, like raging water, the words moved on - unable to be called back.

Our words reflect what is in our hearts. As Jesus said, "The mouth speaks whatever fills the mind." Therefore, when my heart is brimming with an emotion, that feeling will leak or perhaps even spout out of my mouth. If I have unresolved sin or guilt in my heart, at some point my mouth will reveal it.

I used to pray to say the right things or not to say the wrong things. That prayer, however, did not seem to be answered. Negative words still cascaded from my mouth. Now I realize that the problem goes deeper than my words. I need to ask Christ to move in my heart to correct my wrong attitudes. If my heart is filled with love, that opens the way for kind and appropriate words to flow from my mouth.