“Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.” Proverbs 4:23
Recently I have been thinking a lot about my heart. Whether motives, words, actions or thoughts they all stem from the heart. Our hearts are wicked and deceitful, we don’t even know the beginning of all that’s in there. As my thoughts of my heart have continued, I have also been tuning my ears to hear what I am saying, as well as those around me. We are affected by those that we are around. 1 Corinthians 15:33 says, “Do not be deceived: ‘Bad company ruins good morals.'” We can not take our hearts lightly, because that is what God sees, that is what He redeemed. When I began to listen to words that people say, including myself, I think that there is plenty of work and redemption to be done. From jokes, to back stabbing, sarcasm, tone, bad words, improper topics, bitterness, jealousy, exaggeration… the list goes on! I’ve been listening at the store, church, work, athletic events, high school group, husbands and wives, the radio… you get the idea. I’ve been listening. I’m not excused either, I have listened and been shocked by my own words too.
We need to be kind. ESPECIALLY if we are a believer. Our words are a direct reflection of our heart. Our tongue is the rudder of our heart. Please watch over it. Every one of our senses feeds information to our hearts, we can’t take that lightly. The other day a sweet friend of mine was in a situation where she was hearing gossip, and junk and unkind words and bless her heart, I look over a few minutes later and she had physically moved herself from harms way and was standing by herself. She claims that “she likes being by herself” but in truth, she wanted to guard her ears to guard her heart. I was very encouraged.
Please think about your heart. Think about your words. I could go on and on about this pulling truth from every part of the bible to bash it in to our brains, but the issue is our hearts. We need to pray for transformation; for ourselves and those around us.
I want to be an example for my little girl, an encouragement to my friends, and a beacon for unbelievers. The most unattractive thing is a yucky heart. Don’t be afraid to stand up and call people out (kindly), or change the subject if words start deteriorating, even just a little. There is so much to say about this that we all need to hear. The questions: “Is it True? Is it Kind? Is it Necessary?” don’t even begin to address the importance of this topic.
Be encouraged and challenged by these verses below. This is the most important and impactful part of the whole blog. God’s Word is the only thing that can penetrate your heart of stone and replace it with one of flesh.Remember to take the log out of your own eye so that you can see clearly the speck in another’s….
“But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person.” Matthew 15:18
“But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person.” Ephesians 4:29
“If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s religion is worthless.” James 1:26
“Whoever belittles his neighbor lacks sense, but a man of understanding remains silent.” Proverbs 11:12
“Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs him down, but a good word makes him glad.” Proverbs 12:25
“A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger” Proverbs 15:1
“Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips!” Psalm 141:3
