Heart and Mouth

[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.” Matthew 12 NKJV

I am often shocked at what comes out of my mouth. I’d like to believe in the concept of “slip of the tongue” the idea that some things we say come from . . . well, nowhere. But that’s not what Jesus said. He taught that the heart and mouth are connected. Our words reveal our hearts. 

We normally control what comes out of our mouths, pretty words  that aren’t really us.  You know how it is.  So much of what we say comes from our desire to be well thought of. It’s the words that slip out that reveal our true nature and that proclaim how much change is necessary.  

I’m reminded of that worship song. 

You are the potter
I am the clay
Mold me and make me 
This is what I pray 

From the things we sometimes say, the lesson is obvious. There is still work to be done. Not work that we can accomplish: but work for the Potter. Change my heart, oh God. 

Nick