I've been trying to keep up with my church's year-long commitment to read five chapters of the New Testament a week. It doesn't seem like it would be that difficult, but twice already I've ended up reading all five chapters on the weekend instead of doing one per day during the week like I'm supposed to.
Oh well. At least I'm caught up!
Today, in Matthew 12, it said "For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks," and "...men will have to give account on the day of judgement for every careless word they have spoken."
I think I've mentioned before that I'm a naturally quiet person, but when I get to know someone I tend to get chattier. And when I get chattier, I tend to regret about half of what comes out of my mouth. OK, maybe not quite half, but it's terrifying how much I regret.
I've come to realize that my natural tendency to stay quiet is probably the best thing for me. I've never once regretted not saying something but only have I regretted things that I shouldn't have said. And for all those words, I will have to give account.
So often we say, "It just slipped out. I didn't really mean it."
But Jesus said that even those "careless" words we will be accountable for, and that's because those words might reveal the most about us. When we take the time to calculate what we say, we can make sure it sounds good. What just "slips out," that is the true overflow of our hearts.
So watch what you say, but also take a deeper look into what just comes out. That might reveal more to you about where your heart is really at than you realize.
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