What Comes Out of Your Mouth
Scripture: He went on: "What comes out of a man is what makes him 'unclean.' For from within, out of men's hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. All these evils come from inside and make a man 'unclean.'"
Meditation: Jesus had a way of making several points when He addressed an issue. In this section of Scripture, He answered the Pharisees’ criticism of people eating food with hands that were “unclean.” Jesus demonstrates the fallacy of their traditions and the hypocrisy of their hearts and then goes on to say that it is not what goes into a person that makes him unclean, but what comes out of him. The Disciples didn’t understand, so Jesus made it clear – to them and to us. A man is unclean when he speaks from the evil of his heart.
The book of James tells us that the tongue is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. Too often we say hurtful things and react with words when we should keep our mouth shut. None of us is perfect, but there is a time when we really need to examine ourselves to see what is in our heart. Occasionally saying something hurtful and then apologizing is one thing; tirades and blasting people without remorse whenever they cross us is something totally different. There is no witness for Christ when a Christian angrily berates someone – whether that person was wrong or not. There never is a justification for yelling at someone in anger and attacking them. We are speaking the evil of our own heart, rather than addressing an issue when we do this.
Jesus points out that speaking the hurtful, evil thoughts of one’s heart is what makes a person “unclean.” 2 Corinthians tells us to take every thought captive. That we are to not allow those thoughts to rule our minds and our lives. Walking away and not saying anything when we are angry is the better way to handle a situation, rather than allowing our mouth to spew the evil that is in our heart. Our words can build people up and edify them or they can tear people down and cause great hurt. Problems can be addressed without hurtful, poorly chosen words. We need to discipline ourselves to speak the truth in love or not speak at all. Christianity would probably be better represented if Christians wouldn’t talk so much.
Challenge: What comes out of your mouth? Words to build up, encourage, edify and help people? Or words that tear people down, make yourself look better, or argue your cause whomever may be hurt? Do you rant and rave and scream at people, your children or your spouse to make a point or try to get through to them? Do you respond in anger when someone wrongs you? Examine your words,
Thought for the Day: Lord, help me to be aware of what comes out of my mouth and to seek to edify and help people by what I say.
E-votion, a weekly electronic publication by Chris Garner from Fortified Marriages
Scripture: He went on: "What comes out of a man is what makes him 'unclean.' For from within, out of men's hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. All these evils come from inside and make a man 'unclean.'"
Meditation: Jesus had a way of making several points when He addressed an issue. In this section of Scripture, He answered the Pharisees’ criticism of people eating food with hands that were “unclean.” Jesus demonstrates the fallacy of their traditions and the hypocrisy of their hearts and then goes on to say that it is not what goes into a person that makes him unclean, but what comes out of him. The Disciples didn’t understand, so Jesus made it clear – to them and to us. A man is unclean when he speaks from the evil of his heart.
The book of James tells us that the tongue is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. Too often we say hurtful things and react with words when we should keep our mouth shut. None of us is perfect, but there is a time when we really need to examine ourselves to see what is in our heart. Occasionally saying something hurtful and then apologizing is one thing; tirades and blasting people without remorse whenever they cross us is something totally different. There is no witness for Christ when a Christian angrily berates someone – whether that person was wrong or not. There never is a justification for yelling at someone in anger and attacking them. We are speaking the evil of our own heart, rather than addressing an issue when we do this.
Jesus points out that speaking the hurtful, evil thoughts of one’s heart is what makes a person “unclean.” 2 Corinthians tells us to take every thought captive. That we are to not allow those thoughts to rule our minds and our lives. Walking away and not saying anything when we are angry is the better way to handle a situation, rather than allowing our mouth to spew the evil that is in our heart. Our words can build people up and edify them or they can tear people down and cause great hurt. Problems can be addressed without hurtful, poorly chosen words. We need to discipline ourselves to speak the truth in love or not speak at all. Christianity would probably be better represented if Christians wouldn’t talk so much.
Challenge: What comes out of your mouth? Words to build up, encourage, edify and help people? Or words that tear people down, make yourself look better, or argue your cause whomever may be hurt? Do you rant and rave and scream at people, your children or your spouse to make a point or try to get through to them? Do you respond in anger when someone wrongs you? Examine your words,
Thought for the Day: Lord, help me to be aware of what comes out of my mouth and to seek to edify and help people by what I say.
E-votion, a weekly electronic publication by Chris Garner from Fortified Marriages