I can honestly say that there are times when things have come out of my mouth and I am shocked when I hear it. It's as if a cannon has been shot and I am just a bystander listening to someone else - but unfortunately the voice I am listening to is my own. These things that are said are not edifying, they can be said in anger, or even in casual conversation with others who even agree with what is said - still they are wrong! Does this sound familiar to you? Have you found yourself saying things that you know to be wrong, hurtful, or non-edifying? I think we all can say "Yes" to this question, and that is why God has given us so much scripture to curtail these situations in our life.
We are told in Proverbs that the mouth of a fool pours forth foolishness, and as I stated, I can attest to that fact and have "Foolishly" participated in such speaking. I can see the Lord's work within my life, as I am getting much better, but I can't wait to have this perfected - it won't come a moment too soon.
Q: Why do we do this when we know it to be wrong?
This is a fair question to ask, and one that needs to be pondered for a moment or two. I think conversations are like working in the bottom of a ditch at times. What I mean by this is that the ditch digger is busy working away with good intent, but he can only see things from his perspective down in the ditch, and somehow he can start to veer off in a different direction than what he was planning and go off course - he needs to hop out of it every now and then to look at from another angle to get a proper perspective of the direction he is going. It is the same way with our conversations - we need to back up and take a look at where we are going at times, because we can get so caught up in the moment that our emotions will end up causing our tongue to write checks that our integrity cannot cash - and this is a poor Christian witness.
Emotions are the leading factor for the misuse of the tongue and the enemy knows that, and he is very crafty at enticing us to bite down on his bait, which we find ever so delicious. Someone says something about someone else, and our ears seem to perk up. It's as if a dinner bell has been sounded at the end of a hard day of chopping wood and the intrigue of listening just a little bit longer to what is being sad is ever so enticing. Again, Proverbs speaks of this.
The words of a talebearer are like tasty trifles, And they go down into the inmost body. Proverbs 18:8 (NKJV)
The word, "Talebearer" can be translated "Gossiper" and "Trifles" can be translated, "Tender Morsels." And as far as going down into the inmost body - there is a visual of a delicious piece of meet perfectly cooked being savored, enjoyed and eventually going down into the stomach - but in this case this Inmost body is referring to our heart. That's what happens when we listen to, or participate in gossip - it changes our heart and causes us to be polluted. The byproduct is that we end up speaking forth things that can be damaging, hurtful, and divisive.
That's exactly what Jesus was talking about to His disciples in Matthew 15 - He was speaking of people who try real hard to live an outward life that reflects living religiously; these people are more concerned about their hygiene and what they put into their mouths rather than being concerned about what comes out of their mouths.
Do you not yet understand that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and is eliminated? But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man." Matthew 15:17-20 (NKJV)
But that's not what living a Christ-reflecting life is about - we are to have our minds fixed on the things of God and our hearts right before Him, and then as a byproduct our tongues will be bridled (See James 1:26), and our love will be manifested by our outward actions and not just our speech (See 1John 3:18).
Hey Christian, I want to encourage you today to think about what you are going to say prior to opening your mouth and speaking to others. Take a couple extra seconds and examine the content of your words. Are they edifying, uplifting, and honoring to the person you are speaking of, and to God? (See Col. 3:17,23)
2 Corinthians 10:5 tells us to take our thoughts captive, and to "Cast down" those things that don't line up with what God's Word tells us to do and say. And that my Christian brothers and sisters is the key - that's how we jump out of the ditch and get our bearings and directions back in focus and are able to remember what we are to be doing and saying.
Let's try this today, one conversation at a time and let's find something positive, uplifting and edifying to say. Watch what happens...
STUDY QUESTION: What can we learn about our speech from the scriptures contained within this devotional?
PERSONAL INVENTORY: Do you find that there are times that you are saying something that you know you shouldn't?
APPLICATION: Stop, drop, and pray! Repent! Start by apologizing to the person you were speaking to - tell them you are sorry that you partook in that conversation and you apologize for causing them to stumble as well. Don't defend your actions, turn and go in the other direction and find something positive to say instead.
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