“It’s your heart, not the dictionary, that gives meaning to your words”
Matthew 12:36
When visiting the doctor because of pain it never fails that they press on the sore spot saying “Does that hurt?” … “Ouch!!! Yes it does thank you very much!” It’s not the doctors who are the cause the pain they simply exposed it. The cause of the pain is the damage beneath that can’t be seen but can surely be felt.
Today’s verse helps us discover the source of some pain we’ve felt in our lives. This pain comes from words that others have spoken to us. Words that seemed innocent at the time but for some reason penetrated deeply. It wasn’t the meaning of the words that hurt…. it was the heart that delivered them. A bad heart causes words to pierce, bruise & cause pain.
Some of the sweetest and most lovely folk I’ve known have spoken some of the most destructive & damaging words I’ve heard. It’s the heart, not the dictionary meaning of the words, that destroys. If we don’t guard our hearts [Proverbs 4:23] we’ll end up speaking hurtful words to others. That’s something we definitely don’t want to do!
This week lets set our direction to the future. Matthew 12:36 continues saying “A good person produces good deeds and words season after season. An evil person is a blight on the orchard” Let’s make a real effort to speak words that empower, uplift & inspire. Let’s ensure these words are spoken from a great heart. A heart filled with true compassion, grace & mercy. A heart that’s looking to see the best in others & every situation. A heart that builds up and doesn’t pull down [2 Corinthians 10:8].