The Heart behind the Hurt

The mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart.

–Matthew 12:34

Yesterday, I shared three principles for controlling your speech. Let me close out the week with three final principles.

Number four: abstain from all forms of lying. Sometimes our lies are blatant untruths, but other times we lie by exaggeration or distortion. Let’s say you’re fighting with your mate, and you say, “You never do anything for me!” Is it really accurate to say that your mate has never done anything positive for you? We’re not to exaggerate the truth or bend the facts to suit our needs.

Number five: develop the art of silence. Former White House press secretary Larry Speakes left behind a plaque for his successor that read, “You don’t have to explain what you don’t say.” Those are good words to remember. In fact, Solomon wrote something similar: “He who restrains his words has knowledge. . . . Even a fool, when he keeps silent, is considered wise” (Proverbs 17:27–28). Learn the value of silence.

Number six: fill your mind with positive input. Matthew 12:34 says, “The mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart.” Our speech reflects what we put into our minds and hearts, so be careful who you listen to and associate with. For example, maybe you need to stop listening to talk radio–you don’t need a hothead on the radio getting you all worked up so that you unleash abusive speech on other people. Philippians 4:8 says, “Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.” Fill your mind with things that will build you up in Christ.

Speech that hurts other people is symptomatic of a wrong attitude toward others. James wrote, “With [the tongue] we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God. . . . My brethren, these things ought not to be this way” (3:9–10). When you use your words to attack another person, you’re attacking somebody God made. And when you slander another Christian or abuse them with your speech, you are slandering or abusing Jesus Christ, because He is in that Christian (Colossians 3:11). Heavenly minded Christians measure their every word as though they were speaking to Jesus Himself.

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Today’s devotion is adapted from “Speech Therapy 101” by Dr. Robert Jeffress, 2012.

Helen Thomas, “Fitzwater Preparing to Depart,” UPI, November 13, 1992, https://www.upi.com/Archives/1992/11/13/Commentary-Fitzwater-preparing-to-depart/1118721630800.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. www.lockman.org.