Words are More Than Words

You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil. I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned." (Matthew 12:34-37 ESV)

Jesus strikes a strong and distinguished court here on the topic of our words and what we say.
We are what we say.
We translate what we treasure.

I think of James who says in chapter 3 of his epistle, "the tongue is a fire a world of unrighteousness."

There are many ways we kill the good things God wants to do in our lives simply because we do not put a reign on our tongue.  The power of life and death are in the tongue.

In Psalm 19, the poet opens with, "The heavens declare the glory of God"... and finishes with "May the Words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you." (Psalm 19:1, 14).

What am I treasuring?

What am I thanking God for?

What good things am I counting and bringing to mind?

PRAYER:
Father, I need to use my tongue for good.  I need your work of Grace to transform the treasure of my heart and the tree of my life so that I may translate your goodness to the world.  Come heal my heart, in Jesus' Name.