JESUS' WORDS ABOUT OUR WORDS
MATTHEW 12:33-37
MATTHEW 12:33-37 NKJ
33 “Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit. 34 Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. 35 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things. 36 But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. 37 For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”
OBSERVATION:
Words are not considered valuable by most in our world. I'm just saying. Talk is cheap. Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.
But from heaven's viewpoint, nothing could be further from the truth. In God's Kingdom, words matter.
A tree is known by its fruit. We know a tree is good or bad by the fruit produced. Then Jesus tells us that what is in us will come out of us. It is implied here that with good in our hearts, our words will be good, and therefore, our fruit will be good.
A good man, out of the good treasure in him, will produce good. Think of treasure not as gold or silver but rather what is deposited in the heart. That's why Jesus spoke of evil treasure. An evil deposit in us will result in evil, negative words, and negative fruit.
Then Jesus drops a bombshell. He says we will have to give account for every idle or nonproductive word in the day of judgment! And that our words will cause us to be justified or condemned. I do not know everything that these two verses entail. But I can say that God greatly values our words. And that all of us could use some self-evaluation regarding what we are depositing in our hearts and what is coming out of our mouths.
APPLICATION:
Over the years, I have heard people make this statement. They have a great heart, but . . . Usually, that is followed up with a revelation of a significant character flaw in the person they are referring to.
But according to Jesus, what's in the heart will be produced in our lives. Our words and actions are a reflection of what is in us.
So, if we are not satisfied with the fruit we are producing, we need to check two places. What is our input, and what is coming out of us? If we are putting negative junk in, we will not be producing good fruit. And our mouths are the key indicator.
This is why reading and spending time with God in His word is so important. God's word is the highest quality deposit we can make. And if we will stay with it. It will impact our words and what is produced in our lives. What is in us matters. Our words matter.
PRAYER:
Dear Father help me to monitor my input and my output. May my thoughts and words be pleasing in Your sight.