Daily Bread (Words That Defile)

[shortlady]

Words That Defile

He who guards his mouth preserves his life, but he who opens wide his lips shall have destruction. —Proverbs 13:3

About this cover
Recently I overheard an older woman speaking to a friend about the current obsession with dieting. “These days,” she mused, “I’m more concerned with what comes out of my mouth than what goes into it.” There’s a world of wisdom in those words.

Jesus put it this way: “Those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. These are the things which defile a man” (Matthew 15:18-20).

What we say affects others. “There is one who speaks like the piercings of a sword,” says Proverbs 12:18. But what we may overlook is the effect our reckless words have on us. When we gossip, or when we malign others, our words begin to ruin us, for we gratify the evil that is in us and strengthen it until it overthrows us.

On the contrary, when we guard our lips we strike a blow at this malevolence. “The tongue of the wise promotes health,” continues Proverbs 12:18. We protect our souls, for we weaken the very thing that lies in wait to ruin us.

Ask God to “set a guard” over your mouth and “keep watch over the door” of your lips (Psalm 141:3). Let your words promote life, not destruction. —David H. Roper

Guard well your lips, for none can know
What evils from the tongue may flow;
What guilt, what grief may be incurred
By one uncautious, evil word. —Elliott

A word from your mouth speaks volumes about your heart.

 

[Snowrose]

Hello Shortlady,

Thank you so much for sharing this devotion with us. It is something that we need to hear once in awhile. But what caught my eye was this quote: “What we say affects others.” Also the quote: “The tongue of the wise promotes health,” continues Proverbs 12:18.

I am speaking from my heart at the moment. Towards our sisters and brothers who bravely confessed their sins or wrong doings to us, we must gently encourage them and with love as Christ did for those whom he met and even for us. I looked up some verses which illustrates this -

> speaking the truth in love – (Ephesians 4:15)
> restore him gently. – (Galatians 6:1)
> must gently instruct – (2 Timothy 2:25)
> deal gently- (Hebrews 5:2)

When we speak words to each other, let them reflect Jesus - gentleness and full of love. Prayerfully consider our words before we speak them so that it may encourage and strengthen them and their walk with Christ.

In 1 Corinthians 13:1-3 (Love), it says:

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.

At the end of the devotion, it says "A word from your mouth speaks volumes about your heart." May our hearts reflect Jesus. God bless you all.

Love,
Snowrose

 

[shortlady]

Hey what's that is so true we are to edify the body of Christ and encourage others to love.

 

[stephen]

How we need to guard our lips, what we say......how many times....we say too much.......we do not have to do this......

Jesus put it this way: “Those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. These are the things which defile a man” (Matthew 15:18-20).


True......what comes up in the bucket, is what is in the well. Lord keep me, keep us all, slow to speak...in condemnation... quick to speak in love.