“The speech of the righteous is a fountain of life …” Proverbs 10:11

I like words. I like the way they form thoughts and can create pictures, even without using images. The inspired Psalmist used many words and used them so honestly and beautifully. I love how words can be used to communicate great truths and wisdom. I love singing words that tell of God’s grace and glory.

Words – good or bad – are powerful.
I continue to be aware that I use too many. Wisdom knows when to speak and when to stop. But at the end of the day, it’s not about the words I did or did not say.  It is about the sincerity of my heart, whether that be in my speech or in my silence.

“Then He called the crowd to Him and said, ‘Listen and understand. What defiles a person is not what goes into the mouth; it is what comes out of the mouth that defiles a person.’ Then the disciples came to Him and said, ‘Do you know that when the Pharisees heard this saying they were offended?’
And He replied, ‘If someone who is blind leads another who is blind, both will fall into a pit … Don’t you understand that whatever goes into the mouth enters the stomach and then passes out into the sewer? But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these things defile a person. For out of the heart come evil ideas, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. These are the things that defile a person.'”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭15:10-20‬

“The good person out of the good treasury of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasury produces evil, for his mouth speaks from what fills his heart. ‘Why do you call me Lord, Lord, and don’t do what I tell you?'”
‭‭Luke‬ ‭6:45-46‬

Years ago – way before we could use our many words via social media – these questions were asked in a sermon (I read this morning).
So timely.
And so thought-provoking:

Does your mouth usually feed people with the truth and substance of what you say, or does it starve people through silence or empty speech (maybe even your children)?

Does your mouth usually heal people with words of grace and love and kindness, or does it wound people with insensitive, harsh, critical, unhelpful words?

Does your mouth usually deliver and protect people with advocacy and partnership, or does it join the attack?

LORD, keep me from committing presumptuous sins; do not allow such sins to control me.
May the words of my mouth and the thoughts of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my sheltering rock and my Redeemer. Amen.
‭‭Psalm ‭19:14‬