It’s so easy to think that you know someone well enough that you can say pretty much anything to them. Whether it be family, friends…..or *gulp* our husbands or kids! It’s hard because we say things and then tack on “oh I’m just teasing” or “don’t take things so seriously” but in reality, it only takes once or twice before the person starts to get a different impression of you and begins to think “well I guess that is how they really view me” even if you don’t
This was the topic of a sermon we heard a few weeks ago as we got a rare opportunity to sit together and her another pastor speak! He spoke about our speech and what it reveals of our heart. And it is so very true!
As I thought and prayed over my speech and I asked God to give me something to share with you, my readers, I have been compiling a list .
A person that speaks……
Complaints, has a discontented heart.
Harsh words, has a unconcerned heart.
Angry words, has a bitter heart.
Sarcastic words, has a hopeless heart.
Words that tear down, hasa malicious heart.
Teasing words, has a selfish heart.
Gossiping words, has a tasteless heart.
Perverse words, has a vile heart.
Crude words, has a heart lacking in wisdom.
Vain words, has a heart lacking control.
Arrogant words, has a heart lacking in humility.
And I had to ask myself some really HARD. Questions! Like…
What are my words revealing about my heart? What are my words conveying to those around me? It has not been easy but realized that just like most people I was letting things affect me….and then the condition of my heart is revealed! I listened carefully to the things I was saying to my family. It’s those little things that collect in the dark recesses of our hearts and if we are not careful to weed them out, that’s when our hearts become infected!
So what does the speech of a person who has a Christ-centered heart look like? we have to look no further than 1 Corinthians 13 for that answer!
1 Corinthians 13:1-13 If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known. So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love. ESV
So much of what we say is evident by the fruit of the spirit in our lives, and if that fruit is missing or dwindling we need to find out why….the fruit of the spirit are a great indication of what’s going on on the inside.
Galatians 5:22-24 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. ESV
As I titled this blog post, I thought of how so many times as Christians we can portray one thing and yet our speech/actions reveal our true heart and that made me think of something called an oxymoron…..which is basically two words that are exact opposites, for example “jumbo shrimp”. Well just like that so is “edify stupid”.Edify is to build up, but stupid is tearing someone down. And yes we are called to hold each other accountable, but not in a condescending, Blunt, way
As I think about speech too it seems as though bluntness has become a badge, or almost like another spiritual gift, when in reality, BLUNT is hurtful,shows a lack of humility, self control, tact, and grace Of all people Jesus could have been blunt. He is our picture of how we should relate to people. Instead Jesus told stories (parables), asked questions, and quoted scripture (not out of context I might add!). He didn’t call for worship of himself, he came humbled to serve, to change lives! He showed love and grace and pointed ALL to our Heavenly Father! He didn’t claim greatness, he didn’t boast of who he was or the things he did, was doing or the things he will do!
So I will ask a hard question……what are your words saying of you? Are they saying she is a follower of Christ? -OR- are they saying look out she is harboring bitterness in her heart? If you don’t know listen to yourself, ask your husband or kids AND pray that God would :
1: open your eyes and show you
2: that he would clean house in your heart, weeding out those pervasiove weeds!
3: that He would change your heart, continually making you aware of those little areas that need cleaning, and giving them over to him!
And I’ll close with this verse from one of our kid’s favorites songs:
O be careful little mouth what you say
O be careful little mouth what you say
There’s a Father up above
And He’s looking down in love
So, be careful little mouth what you say
Author unknown
