The Fruit of Our Mouths

Several years ago, a friend was helping me with a construction project when I hit my thumb with the hammer against a joist hanger.  Hitting a thumb with a hammer hurts.  This took that pain to a significantly higher level!  After I let out a cry of pain and a few mumbled words, my friend said, “Out of the heart, the mouth speaks.”  He was judging me based on the words that I spoke in the moment of pain and shock.  

Verbal Fruit

There is great power in words, especially in the spoken word.  Proverbs 18:21 tells us, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.”  Words are used to incite riots, tear down individuals, express disappointment and joy, encourage people, and bring calm to inflamed situations.  The spectrum of effect is broad – even to the point of death and life.

Most of us work hard to say the “right” words when we are at church, or around church people.  But what comes out of our mouths when we are hurt or caught off-guard?  How do we speak when hanging out with coworkers, friends on the ball field, or at the beauty salon?  What about when we are in the safety of our homes?

There are words that have been deemed offensive in some circles and completely acceptable in others.  Certain words are used to give emphasis to a thought or for the shock factor.  While I believe that Christians should limit our vocabulary, excluding vulgarity, it really isn’t the specific words themselves that are the underlying issue.

“A tree is identified by its fruit. If a tree is good, its fruit will be good. If a tree is bad, its fruit will be bad. 34 You brood of snakes! How could evil men like you speak what is good and right? For whatever is in your heart determines what you say. 35 A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. 36 And I tell you this, you must give an account on judgment day for every idle word you speak. 37 The words you say will either acquit you or condemn you.” Matthew 12:33-37 (NLT)

From the Heart

These are powerful words Jesus spoke to the Pharisees (the religious leaders).  While spoken two thousand years ago, they are applicable to us today.  Just as my friend judged me based on my words, all of our words, including the idle words, will be judged by God.  Yes, we have grace and salvation through Christ Jesus, but that is not a license to speak as the world speaks.  

This is not just a mouth issue, it is a matter of the heart.  To fix the heart, we need Jesus to cleanse and purify every part of us.  We need to surrender our will to His.  Give up our wants and desires to be refined in the purifying fire of God’s sanctification.

What are the words and attitudes that come out of your mouth?  Yes, I added attitudes to the question.  We may be well controlled in filtering specific words and phrases, but are we speaking negatively?  Too often, we tear down a person with “acceptable” words through negativity.  We should be speaking life, not death and destruction, to all people.

Heart Surgery

Are you willing to allow Jesus to perform heart surgery on you?  The hurts that we carry in our hearts are a source of the negative outflow from our mouths.  Forgiveness is an important step in the healing process.  We also need to release our expectations of others, and maybe even ourselves.  There may be a number of things that you have held onto in your heart which is keeping you from holiness.  Jesus wants to free you from bondage to those burdens.

The first step in healing is to recognize our sickness.  Examine yourself and be honest about how you are doing with your speech.  Then look deeper into your heart and see what is there that doesn’t bring life.  Confess these things to the Lord.  If you need help, find a trusted friend or spiritual advisor that will walk with you in the Holy Spirit’s direction.  

The day I hit my thumb, our new friend was expecting a string of non-Christ-like words.  He was pleased that was not what he heard through my mumbling cry of pain.  

As ambassadors of the Kingdom of God, we should represent our Father well in how we speak and act.  What is the fruit of your heart as it is expressed through your mouth?  Are you willing to be purified by the Lord of all defilement, including every word that you speak?  Will you allow a brother or sister in Christ to hold you accountable for your speech?