Today I would like to share with you my thoughts on a scripture that we have read over and over again but it is a scripture that slaps me in the face each time I hear it...no matter how many times I hear it.
Matthew 12:34
"For out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks."
Wow. Just read it again and take it in. Think about what that means. I will disect it with you...
When I read this scripture I first start to think about the kinds of things that come out of my mouth during the day and how much of it i'm actually paying attention to. I wish I had a tape recorder going at all times so at the end of my day I could review all that I have said to myself, my husband, my friends and my co workers. What type of reaction would I have? Am I speaking things of love, kindness, gentleness, passion, mercy, encouragement, optimisim? Or am I speaking negatively, of hopelessness, anxiety, worry, failure, gossip?
The point this scripture is making is that we speak whatever our heart is full of. And what our heart is full of is our responsibility...it's not out of our control, it's in our hands. "Abundance" means "Overflowing Fullness" or "an extremely plentiful or oversufficient quantity or supply." So not only is it just about what we are putting into our hearts but how much of it we are putting into our hearts. Because in order for us to have an abundance of love coming out of our mouth, we need to be filling ourselves to the brim and overflowing with things of love. And what has more love in it than God's holy word? I know that I read the scripture but do I read it enough for it to be an abundance? Not hardly. In fact, i fear that I am putting more time into filling my heart with things that are not Godly. Why do I fear this? Because I am thinking back over my conversations with people for the past week and realizing the types of things I am discussing.
We all know that there is the "power of life and death in the tounge," so we cannot ignore that our words have power. They have power over us and power over the people we say them to. That is a great responsibility that we need to take seriously.
You know how sometimes when you say things you shouldn't but you justify it by saying, "but I have a good heart." God is telling you how to test that. Test your heart by looking at what's coming out of your mouth. So what condition is your heart in?
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3 comments:
*kicked in the pants* Got me! Time to think!! Thanks though! :)
Lindsey, I just now got to sit down and read this blog, you are an amazing woman with so many words of wisdom. You have such a great heart, you honestly do. I'm so thankful that I have such an amazing friend that can open my eyes to things I didn't realize =) I love you
This is soooo good. I remember when I was pregnant with Abbey and hand-held camcorders had just become somewhat affordable and so we bought one in preparation for our new little baby. Anyway, we decided to drive around north Texas and comment on various places. GRANTED, I was pregnant and hormonal... but I was so shocked when we played back the recording and I was SO HATEFUL sounding!!! I didn't recall "feeling" that way, but that is certainly the way I came across. Ouch.
I know at times I must sound so hateful with my kids... and I love them so much and don't want to. But we all need to be careful not just what we say but WHY. What is going on inside our heart that would make these things come out so easily?
VERY good food for thought, Lindsey. Thanks!
(And now I want to see that movie!!!)
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