 |
|
Your
Tongue Says It All
"A New York telephone company analyzed 500 telephone conversations and discovered that the most frequently used word was ' I.' It was used more than 4,000 times in those 500 short conversations. By nature we are all this way. We put ' I ' at the center. What we do is determined by what ' I ' want." - Encyclopedia of Sermon Illustrations
If someone were to monitor your phone
conversations, what would they find?
Would they discover that your most frequently used word is "I" as well? What kind of words would they hear? Would they hear conversation riddled with sarcasm, bitterness, anger, criticism, arrogancy, and pride? Or would they hear wisdom from the Word of God and sense the "law of kindness" as Proverbs 31 mentions? The Scriptures point out that our tongues reveal the true
condition of our hearts. Just as the tree is known by its fruit,
even so are our hearts known by our words. They are the evidence
that either acquit us or condemn us as believers and show us up for
what we really are -
Of what kind of
"matter" is
your heart full to overflowing today?
Is it bubbling up or boiling over with a "good matter" like the wisdom of God or the goodness and righteousness of the Lord? Or is it overflowing with the trash of Hollywood - the "evil matter" of sensuality or the lusts of the world, the flesh, and the devil? Wouldn't it be a good idea to check before speaking, to see if your conversation will be considered a "good matter" or an "evil matter" in God's estimation? There would be less talking among us, wouldn't you agree? "I speak of the things which I have made touching the king" - In other words, I dedicate this work that my heart is engaged in to the king; I dedicate what I am about to say to the honor of my king.
Can we say that of our conversations?
Are they dedicated and consecrated to the honor and praise of King Jesus? Is He honored by the meditations of our hearts and the words of our mouths? Or are we like those, mentioned by David in Psalm 12, who have "flattering lips" and a "double heart" and speak "proud things," having the attitude which says loudly and clearly to God - "With our tongue will we prevail; our lips are our own: who is lord over us?" In other words, no one is going to tell us how to talk. This is the way we are. Take us for what we are. No one is going to change us - no, not even God. "My tongue is the pen of a ready writer" - The pen referred to here is the stylus which was usually made of iron and used to inscribe letters on lead or wax. Because the heart was full to overflowing with a "good matter," the psalmist was not at a loss for words at this point. His tongue became like a pen, writing - rapidly and freely - the thoughts and feelings stored in his heart.
Believe it or not - our tongues are
like pens writing the story of our lives for all to read.
They are either directed and led by the Holy Spirit or by Satan and the flesh. In 2 Samuel 23:2, David declared - "The Spirit of the Lord spake by me, and His word was in my tongue." Can we say that of ourselves today? Do our conversations indicate that the Spirit of the Lord is in control of our hearts and lives? Is His word in our tongues? Then "what meaneth" the constant emphasis on " I " - me, myself, and I - us four and no more? What do people read about our lives through our conversations? That we are more in love with our selves, family, ministry, church, Pastor, or denomination than Jesus? That no one is doing a work for Him like we are? That we love our job and money more than Him? That being rich is the ultimate road to happiness? Is this the story that our tongues are writing for the world to read? Is it a "good matter" in God's estimation? Is the Spirit of God doing the writing? Is He in control of the pen? Or are Satan and the Flesh pushing the pen? Matthew 12:35 says - "A good
man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good
things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil
things" -
Here we read that the heart is likened unto a
"treasury" that is either storing the good treasures
of God's grace, comfort, wisdom, knowledge, and understanding, or
the bad treasures of lust and corruption.
What kind of words do you suppose
would come from a heart that is clean and pure in God's sight?
Proverbs 15:26 tells us -
"...the words of the pure are pleasant words."
On the other hand, what kind of heart
would one have who is always speaking sarcasm - words that cut,
wound, grieve, pierce, or "tear another's flesh to shreds" like a
mad dog?
Proverbs 12:18 says - "There
is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword..."
Psalm 37:30 - "The mouth of
the righteous speaketh wisdom, and his tongue talketh of judgment."
Our speech - at all times and in every
place - should indicate unto others that the grace of God is at
work in our lives.
That same grace that is at work will bubble over unto others as we speak - edifying and building them up in their faith. At no time should there be any obscene, depraved, offensive, filthy, unclean, worthless, and useless words found in our conversation. If they are there, they are flowing from a heart that is unclean in God's sight and needs repentance and cleansing. 1 John 4:4-5 - The Scriptures imply that we are
distinguished from those of the world by our words -
"Ye are of God, little children, and
have overcome them...They are of the world; therefore speak they of
the world, and the world heareth them."
We all know that a man's
language indicates from what country he is.
What does our speech indicate to others?
What is your tongue saying
about you to others?
Think about it! Oh, and by the way, watch out for those " I's"
in your next conversation! | © COPYRIGHT Connie Giordano - All Rights Reserved
